Every Little Thing
by SilverontheRose
Summary: Not every fairy tale ends with happy-ever-after, sometimes it just segues into the next chapter. After Kagome returns after destroying the Shikon no Tama, the shrine comes under surveillance. Only Mama isn't sure whether its because of Kagome's secret, or hers. A Papa!Stark tale told in 500 word chapters. I do not make any claim on Marvel's or Takahashi's characters.
1. I've Got A Feeling

Chapter One

_I've Got A Feeling_

* * *

The wind rustled through the leaves of Goshinboku, the revered tree of ages situated on the Sunset Shrine. With each shiver and shake, the tree communicated its unease to the family that lived under its influence.

The Grandfather paused in his daily sweep, and looked to the tree, then glanced down the stairs. The boy was still there... and no teenage boy ever hung out three days in a row across the street from a shrine. Especially when there were was a shopping square with a game center and inexpensive eateries just around the corner.

Resuming his sweeping, he pondered the reasons why the shrine would be watched. Foremost in his thoughts was that terrifying three days a few weeks ago, when his beloved granddaughter had destroyed the Shikon no Tama. Such power in her, tempered with a kind, pure heart. He bowed low to the Goshinboku and clapped before moving away. To give thanks for such a warning was only proper.

~oOo~

Kagome walked up the stairs slowly, the crushing grief for her lost friends and Inuyasha threatening to suffocate her. She was coping with her return as best she could, but occasionally the grief was incapacitating. She'd tried going into the well shrine, but the debilitating fear she'd lived with inside the Shikon no Tama stopped her cold whenever she thought of jumping into the timeslip.

_Inuyasha said once that he could be happy, knowing I was on this side with my family and friends. But, I... I want to be with him. Perhaps its like Mama said, and I should focus on my duties here and now. Give the worry over to the gods, since it does nothing but make me feel worse. And maybe, in time..._

She took a deep breath as she reached the top. The two men who had followed her home from school again took up their usual places. _It seems the present has its own set of worries to deal with, anyway._

~oOo~

Aiko Higurashi looked out of her kitchen window again. These watchers meant no good for her family... there was no other reason for them not to introduce themselves. She wondered if Kagome's travels had been noted, or if the other matter had come to light. She finished the manjuu dough and put it aside to work on the filling. Pulling out a head of cabbage, she deftly chopped it up with the ease and speed that came with over twenty years of cooking experience.

Her thoughts centered on the unwanted attention the shrine was getting as she scored the mushroom caps. Well, her daughter wasn't the only one with odd connections... though it _had_ been over sixteen years since she last saw him; accepting her parent's will to break ties with the foreigner and marry a certain Higurashi boy.

Yes... she'd speak with Father tonight. Her friends could fly them out of Japan tomorrow... and with the god's favor, she'd have Kagome in her father's hands in a matter of days.

* * *

I wasn't going to post this until I was finished, but Bubba the plot bunny decided to Hulk Out. I've got more than fifty chapters with no end in sight. Each chapter is 500 words, so I'm halfway to novel length... sheesh. Please enjoy my newest turn in the Avengers/InuYasha crossover universe.


	2. Do You Want To Know A Secret?

Chapter Two

_Do You Want To Know A Secret?_

* * *

Morning broke sunny and warm, and Kagome and Souta clattered down the stairs for breakfast. Souta announced his plans for a Sunday marathon of video games, looking dementedly gleeful at the thought of massacring zombies in a post-apocalyptic world.

Kagome poked fun at him, declaring that he needed to train with her if he wanted to be able to avoid zombies. Rolling her eyes at the face he made, she announced her plans to read scrolls after her shine duties. Aiko just smiled as everyone dug in, leaving her news until after breakfast.

After Father left for his weekly shogi match, she nabbed the two before they disappeared on her, and announced a change in plans. "Instead of zombies and scrolls, let's go to the beach for the day."

Souta cheered and ran for his trunks, while Aiko leaned in close to her daughter. "Be a dear and pack a change for him," she said in a normal voice, but lowered it for the rest, "Bring as much as you can, without it being obvious. Father moved the passports to the linen closet, under the towels."

Kagome looked at her with knowing eyes, even as she smiled cheerfully. As much as she mourned the loss of her daughter's innocence towards the dangers of life, she couldn't help but be grateful she was more observant than others of her age.

"Thank you, Mama! This is going to be so much fun!" she said brightly, hugging her mother and whispering, "I figured out how I killed the blowdryer... Souta scared me, and apparently reiki and electricity clash. I'll fry the trackers on the car once we start toward the ocean."

~oOo~

On the drive out of the city, Aiko made several... unusual... turns, before finally heading west out of Tokyo. She watched her daughter _glow_, then nod. "I scrambled the trackers before that first turn, and don't feel any of them following us. I think we're as safe as we can be for whatever you are doing next."

Souta's head popped up. "What?"

"No worries, squirt." Kagome said, giving her brother a smile. "We've been under surveillance since I started high-school. Since they've not introduced themselves, its more than likely that they've been monitoring me or the well, and not in a friendly way."

"Couldn't they be your youkai friends?" he asked, his face puzzled.

"No, they were human... no youkai I knew would trust a human with my kind of secrets. I don't think anyone would actually remember me, anyways. I spent barely a year with them, over five hundred years ago. Too much time has passed; besides, I haven't felt any youki here and there's no one that can hide that from my senses."

"So what are we doing, Mama?" he asked, voice trembling slightly.

"First we're going to an old friend who will get us to Hong Kong. And from there, well..." She turned her head toward the back of the car and, with a wink, singsonged, "It's a secret."

* * *

Influenced by old friends, who do love spending hours cleaning out nests of zombies. Me? I've got a thing for white-haired cocky half-demons with big swords and rocking soundtracks.

I'll be updating this story Mondays and Thursdays. 'Till next time!


	3. She Said She Said

Chapter Three

_She Said She Said_

* * *

Pepper frowned into the phone, not sure how the woman had gotten through to her personal assistant, or how to take the puzzling message she left. She could research it first, but... she looked over at Tony who was complaining to JARVIS about something or other's cycles per millisecond. She cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Yes, Pepper? Is that an annoyed, I've tried to get your attention for five minutes cough, or is it safe for me to turn around?"

"Tony, do you know an Aiko Takeshi?"

He stopped working with the blueprint and stood up straight, his back a taut, firm line. "Wow, been a long time since I heard that name. MIT, second to last semester. Had the crazy idea to go see what the Japanese were doing, besides kicking American technology in the ass. Met her at a seminar, she showed me around Tokyo, I came home at the end of the semester. Story over."

"So, it's entirely possible that a woman going by that name could call from Hong Kong and say she's sorry she kept something of yours, but that it was too dangerous for her to protect it without help anymore?"

"Huh? That's a weird thing for her to say... I don't recall missing anything."

Pepper looked at the man who wouldn't face her, and was being uncharacteristically silent. Feminine instinct kicked in, and her stomach churned. "Tony, you wouldn't have happened to sleep with her, would you? And not checked back in later?"

"You know, you are so suspicious..."

"So teen sex, with teenage ambivalence for protection..."

"Wait, wait, hold up. You're thinking she means a kid, and not that she swiped a Rolex to remember me by?" He turned and looked at her in consternation.

"Shall I call her back and see?" Her eyes narrowed. She had expected a child to show up a long time ago, but he had the damnedest luck. There had been plenty of people trying to pass their kid off as his, but something told her this time he wasn't going to dodge the bullet.

When he said nothing, she called the number, bracing for the worst. "Ms. Takeshi? This is Pepper Potts. That item of Mr. Stark's... that's what I thought... I see... And they've already found you again? Don't worry, I'll send protection immediately and they'll bring you here safely... No, I understand. Don't worry about anything else, just enjoy your flight."

She turned, and began to walk out. "JARVIS," she called out, "we're going to have three guests. When they get here, increase security around the house. And Tony, don't you dare find something else to do tomorrow," she added ominously, finishing the text sending security to the unheard of Hong Kong hotel Takeshi was pinned in. "You and your daughter have a DNA test to undergo."

She didn't look back, even when crash and clatter of tools falling told her Tony'd gone down, or when JARVIS began telling him to breathe.

* * *

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Talk about a goose in the ribs. Bruce would be laughing.

Okay, for those who aren't as keen on details from the movies as I am, Tony graduated MIT at age 17. That was clearly in the eighties per pictures... yep, I recognize the styles. Kagome's been 16 for over a month, her birthday is at the start of school, remember. And don't let them fool you, it's closer to ten months than nine to pop a kid. That makes Tony 34-35.

Yes, since they met at University, Aiko was the older woman. It's not illegal _there_ for a twenty year old to sleep with a seventeen year old... well, unless the parents make a fuss and are _Somebody_.

For my purposes, the Chitouri invasion happened while Kagome was trapped in the jewel.

Tony yammers on about cycles per millisecond in all three movies.


	4. Ask Me Why

Chapter Four

_Ask Me Why_

* * *

On the plane, Kagome looked at her mother. "Mama... why?" She ducked her head, biting her lip. After all the help Mama had been during the past year, she didn't know if she even had the right to ask.

"Hmm. That's a very complicated question, Kagome." Aiko stared at the screen across from her as she organized what she wanted to say.

"I guess, at its heart is that, while Stark-san wasn't in my life long, he left me something that was so very special, that even my husband of eight months could forgive that you weren't his... which he didn't really have to do. Coming from such an old, respected and very traditional family, he could have publicly destroyed my life and yours easily without condemnation. Most people would have been in complete sympathy with him if he had sent you away, or even divorced me for not telling him about the extent of my relationship with Tony before we married.

"However, instead of giving into his anger, he held you in his arms for hours after my confession. And when I woke the next morning, he gave me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and thanked me for 'the most beautiful baby girl in Japan'. Later, after we'd come home, he left the paperwork for your birth on the dinner table where I sat. He'd had you listed as First Daughter." She smiled at Kagome, the love she still felt for her deceased husband in her eyes.

"So, I honored that great kindness and his forgiveness by never bringing up your biological parentage. And, as far as I'm concerned, you will always be the first daughter of the Higurashi family, no matter who I have to turn you over to for your safety."

She lost her breath as her daughter lurched into her and hugged her hard. She smiled gently, running a hand through the long black tresses. "He was a very special man, and loved you dearly, Kagome. I would have let you believe he was your father for the rest of your life. He deserved it. Whether that is right or wrong, I don't know. But he would not put you in danger just to protect our secret."

Kagome gave her a last squeeze, and sat back in her seat, eyes shining with tears. "I love you, Mama... and I know Daddy loved me. So don't worry anymore, I'm not upset-"

Souta let out a loud snore, cutting her off, and they both looked over where he'd passed out on the couch soon after takeoff, one shoe off and a gaming magazine dangling from one hand. Catching each other's eyes, they both began giggling, the tension of the moment crumbling under the humorous sight. As another snore echoed through the cabin, Kagome lost the battle and began to laugh.

Flicking melted ice water from her drink on her face to help quell the hysteria, she choked out, "He's as bad as Daddy was. When did that happen?"

* * *

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Being listed as First Son or Daughter still has some meaning in modern Japanese society, though not as much as in ancient times. From what I could find on the subject, it is not an automatic designation.

I will never knock arranged marriages as a whole. I grew up around ladies married up to sixty years (some who hardly knew their men at all when they married)- they all told me not to be ruled completely by my emotions, to take an honest look at what kind of man he is. Fluffy love feelings are wonderful, but ephemeral; determination and hard work are what keeps you together.


	5. Act Naturally

Chapter Five

_Act Naturally_

* * *

After the jet landed in New York, they were met by a bevy of people who swept them though customs and escorted them to a sleek black helicopter. Or, rather, as her brother pointed out to them, jet 'copter. Apparently Stark-san liked speed.

Kagome kept her nerves under control by watching her brother swarm over the thing like a monkey, getting into everything and chattering every second of it. She supposed it was no accident that the aide escorting them was fluent in Japanese, and was thankful for him... because Souta was using him as an intermediary to quiz the pilot over every little detail concerning the 'copter.

_Souta's war games finding an outlet in the real world, I guess. __Soon_, she mused, _that poor aide will know everything that a little boy could ever want to hear about this model. At least the pilot is amused and happy to answer everything... I'd have to thump Souta for being awfully rude, otherwise. _

She heard the pilot announcing through the ear piece that they were on final approach, and looked out to the left as he told them to, getting her first look at the skyscraper emblazoned with the Stark name. _Oh, wow. Talk about nerves now... why did he have to be rich?_

She closed her eyes and listened the the pilot's spiel on the building. _Self-powered? Really? I didn't know we'd progressed that far... it was too hard to keep up with the news along with shard hunting and homework._

~oOo~

Tony paced, nerves eating his stomach. He thought about sneaking a drink from the bar, but Pepper had turned into a termagant and forbidden alcohol, citing the underage nature of two of the group. _Of course, if it's really my kid, she should have her own alcohol-hardened stomach by now. Oh, God, don't let her be a mini-me._

He thought back to all the trouble he got into at her age, and grimaced. _A female Stark... I'm going to have to keep her under lock and key. Send her to an all girl's school... though, that never stopped me_.

Walking over to a mirror, he played with his tie, thankful that Pepper had just stared at him in his suit and tie and walked away, throwing her hands up. He needed the familiar armor of business attire, since he had a very real premonition that he was about to get the rug pulled out from underneath his feet and his world set on end.

What the hell was he going to do with a kid... _a teenage girl_ for that matter? God was playing with him, had to be. Karma. Though he would point out to such a deity, that he did almost die saving the world and surely that was a good size hunk to balance out the womanizing, drinking, party-hard guy that he used to be... was still on occasion... _Oh, hell._

_Would it be completely tacky to meet Aiko and their kid in his Iron Man suit?_

* * *

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A study in nervous behavior...


	6. Oh! Darling

Chapter Six

_Oh! Darling_

* * *

Pepper shaded her eyes as the 'copter landed on the roof. She looked back at Tony, and wanted to laugh. The man looked ready to bolt. She'd gotten over her snit after a long bubble bath the night before, and was now looking forward to seeing what a child of his could be like.

A Stark not raised a Stark... it had possibilities.

So far, she'd liked what she'd seen, as a teenage girl was first out of the helo and had immediately turned to help her mother out of the harness. Not waiting on their escort, she swung the boy out of it next, pushing his head down and getting him out of the way of their mother's exit.

Once the family was free of the blades, they followed the aide over to them, the teen laughing at her brother's excited babble.

Following business protocols, since she knew nothing of personal ones, she bowed as the aide made introductions. Apparently Takeshi was a maiden name, she noted, adding Higurashi to her notes. She looked up again and the girl, Kagome, looked directly at her.

The impact of her gaze stole Pepper's voice. She was gorgeous, even after two days on the go. Deep blue-black hair, creamy ivory skin, and Tony's rich brown eyes thickly fringed with lashes. _Old eyes, _she realized, getting a shiver down her back._ What could have happened to the girl for her to have that wise look in her eyes? It reminds me of Steve._

~oOo~

Tony couldn't believe that this beautiful young girl was his, but she had his mother's look about her face and the intense Stark eyes. He took them inside, thankful for Pepper's acumen for setting the right mood. A light brunch was ready and waiting in the dining room.

Turning on the charm, he pulled out a chair for the woman who had been not only a lover, but one of his few friends that long ago stay in Tokyo. "Aiko, you are as beautiful today as you were then. And you've passed that down to your children. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Stark-san,..."

He winced. "Please, Tony. There's too much between us for formality, wouldn't you say?"

She looked down at her lap. "Thank you, Tony-kun. I apo..."

He shook his head, not wanting an apology. And just jumping into old, probably painful emotions wasn't something he cared to do straight off. "Okay, umm, sorry to cut you off again, I know I'm being incredibly rude to you, but really, don't apologize for anything. I can think of a thousand and one excellent reasons for you to be right in everything you've ever done for or to me and I'm not upset at you in the slightest.

"I'm actually kinda... giddy, I think is the word. Yeah, giddy I have a kid. So... For now, let's just relax, eat this delicious brunch, and get to know each other better. Explanations can wait for later, after you've eaten and caught your breath."

* * *

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What? You didn't expect him to dive right in, did you? Procrastination is Tony's byword.


	7. We Can Work It Out

Chapter Seven

_We Can Work It Out_

* * *

After hearing their tale, Tony tried reason out how anyone could have found out about him having a kid when he hadn't known himself, especially from a relationship in a foreign country over sixteen years ago. "So you know nothing about them, other than they keep an eye on the shrine you live at?"

JARVIS supplied the translations now, when their English wasn't up to the task of explaining. Souta was amazed to meet a real A.I., and turned fanboy when he connected Tony and Iron Man. Tony was impressed with the boy's intelligent questions.

Kagome was more reserved, but listened to everyone intently.

Aiko was just relieved he'd believed her. It must have been the work of the gods, because there was no other way she'd have been able to reach him... An experienced secretary would have never passed her through to Pepper's personal assistant, but she'd gotten a new intern that was watching the desk for a moment. Even getting through to Pepper wouldn't have worked, had she dismissed her instead of listening...

She nodded in answer to his question, unhappy she couldn't tell him the full truth behind her interruption of his life. But telling the man his daughter time-traveled... how could he believe it, even if he was Iron Man?

"Actually," Kagome jumped in, wanting to impress on him the danger, even if she and Mama couldn't tell him the whole truth. "They've been following me everywhere; school, shopping, with my friends. I even saw one watching me with binoculars during PE."

"That had to have been spooky. Well, I've got security super tight. And who's going to mess with Iron Man's daughter? That's right, they'd be stupid to."

"Speaking of, I have no doubt Kagome is Tony's daughter, but we've got to satisfy the legal team." Pepper said, handing a long plastic tube holding a swab to the girl. "We have Tony's DNA, so if you'll rub this inside your cheek, we'll get the ball rolling."

Kagome did, though she idly wondered if hers would be normal or if being a miko would show in genetic markers. "Here, Pepper-san," she said as she capped the swab and handed it back. She quickly covered a yawn, exhausted from their escape and the flight.

Pepper smiled at her sympathetically. "Jet lag. Unfortunately the best cure is to stay awake till closer to bedtime."

She nodded, thinking of something that would wake her up. "Excuse me, Tony-san..." she winced, as he did the same. "Sorry... otou-san... but do you have somewhere I can move around in and not hurt anything? Exercise will wake me up."

"Sure, let me take you to the gym and get you signed up. They have weights, classrooms, a swimming pool, and all the fancy spa stuff."

She bit her lip, "All I need is a place to work on my kata..."

He grinned. "Then they'll give you your own room to practice in. Welcome to the world of the stupidly, insanely rich, Kagome."

* * *

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Blood tests are not necessary for DNA, as I've seen in so many a fic. Squamous cells are scraped from the inner cheek with a swab.

Otou-san is the most formal address for Father in Kagome's social class, and will be her name for him 'till they begin to warm to each other. Formal speech requires proper titles, no matter your personal regard for someone.

I just got over a major hump in the story, so I'm feeling confident enough to increase the posting schedule. From here on, it's Monday, Wednesday, Friday.


	8. Please Please Me

Chapter Eight

_Please Please Me_

* * *

Tony cheerfully led Kagome to the elevator, hitting the button for the basement. He dithered for a bit, trying to decide on a conversation opener. "Was the trip comfortable, Kagome?" he finally blurted out, instantly growing disgusted with himself. _Real imaginative, Tony. Where's the glib tongue?_

She nodded. "It was very comfortable, thank you. Souta enjoyed interrogating the pilot." She turned, twisting her hands in a way that brought his mother to mind.

He grinned, she as just as nervous as he was. "Your grandmother had that same tell." She looked at him with a frown creasing her brow. "She did what you were doing... twisting her hands... when she was nervous."

She looked to her hands and dropped them. "Eh? Oh, yes. It is interesting, what blood passes on." She thought of her power, and wondered how much of it came from this man. Her mother had the sight and a slight gift of power, but nothing compared to the vast pool she commanded, now that the seal on her was broken.

She looked at him, sensing the thing in his chest. "Does it hurt?" she asked, then covered her mouth and bowed low, "I'm sorry, that was too personal."

He just put his hand up to his chest, and grinned at her embarrassment. "Getting it was no walk in the park, but its rather... _invigorating_ now, you could say. And hey, we may be meeting for the first time, but _you_ are my _daughter_. Can't get much more personal than that, so don't be afraid to ask questions. And, you know... ask JARVIS or Pepper, if you don't want to ask me things. I want you to be comfortable while we get to know each other."

She smiled at him again, getting the drift of what he was saying. _I should have paid more attention in my English class, but it's hard to learn pronunciation from a book... _she sighed, mourning her interrupted education.

Getting off the elevator, they walked down the hall to an elaborately etched glass entrance. He pushed the door open and held it for her, and walked up to the receptionist. "Susanne, this is Kagome. She's to have the same privileges as me. Send the paperwork up to Pepper, she'll take care of it. And go ahead and outfit her, I don't think she has any exercise clothes, do you?" He asked, glancing back at her briefly, but not waiting for her answer. "Doesn't matter, V.I.P. treatment all the way. And she needs a private room, big enough to do martial arts." He finished up, stunning the woman with his wide smile.

"Right away, Mr. Stark. If you could follow me, Miss?" Kagome went to follow the woman, but turned and waved goodbye to Tony at the last moment.

He went out, whistling happily. _Gotta give Aiko her props. I was an arrogant little berk at her age, Kagome seems to be a sweetheart. Maybe there won't be as many problems as I thought..._

* * *

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Optimistic much, Tony?


	9. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

Chapter Nine

_You've Got To Hide Your Love Away_

* * *

Tony came back, still whistling. "She's absolutely amazing, Aiko. You've done an excellent job. I probably would have spoiled her useless."

She nodded, acknowledging the compliment. "It pains me to say this, but we can't stay long. Souta can't miss that much school, and my father-in-law is alone with the shrine to look after."

"So we need to cover the legalities and get you home," Pepper said, laying it out bluntly.

Tony nodded, pushing his thumb in her direction. "She's the go to person, I'm just the name. And the brain." At Pepper's dangerous look, he diverted. "What were you thinking about living arrangements and custody? 'Cause I'd really like to get to know my kid."

"We'll miss her terribly, but she's safer here with you, at least till we find out who is watching her and why."

"So, split custody, with her living here with Tony. Open visitation, with living arrangements fluid and contingent on negating the threat to her." Pepper waited while JARVIS translated. Aiko nodded, and Pepper sent a brief to the legal department. "There's going to have to be a press conference. Do you want to be part of it, or would you rather remain anonymous as possible?"

Aiko shook her head. "Its best to keep the Higurashi name out of it. I do not want my father-in-law to suffer for his son's good deed. He is in his seventies and doesn't do well with stress."

"Okay, but I want you to accept an account for the child support payments I've never paid." Tony interjected. "I'll go Swiss, that way it will be harder for reporters and scuzz to track you down. You raised Kagome without any help from me, and that makes me a deadbeat... worthless, tell her JARVIS."

"I never meant for..."

He pinned her with a look. "And that's why. If you'd come with your hand out, I'd have been a complete and utter bastard. But you're just looking to protect her after doing an amazing job of raising her. I'm doing the honorable thing for the mother of my child and her family."

She bowed her head, accepting his victory over this point.

Pepper looked up from her tablet. "Tony, should we call Nick? He may be able to find out who was watching her."

"I don't know how I would feel if he finally proved he could be useful. Besides, I'd rather see his face when he hears... _Hey_... let's call them all over tonight. Let Souta meet them so he can be the envy of his classmates."

He rubbed his hands together. "Aiko, why don't you lay down and rest for a bit. I'm going to call a few friends over tonight so you, Souta, and Kagome can meet the Avengers." He pulled out his handheld and started sending texts, happily thinking of all the shocked faces when he introduced his daughter.

Pepper turned to Aiko. "Ignore the demented smile. I'll keep him on the straight and narrow, I promise."

* * *

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You didn't think he'd do anything in a sane manner, did you?


	10. Medley

Chapter Ten

_Medley_

* * *

Nick Fury stared at his phone, eyebrow raised at the text from Tony. _Invited to an Avengers only party? Since when does Tony want me or Natasha around? It's like pulling teeth to get Tony within a mile of anything S.H.I.E.L.D. related, normally. _

_So he's got some ulterior motive, that's a given. But I'll be damned if I'm not curious now._ He thought for a moment, and decided to go, if only for the curiosity factor. _If this is just some free publicity stunt, I'm going to kill him._

He relayed his change of plans to his second-in-command, and left.

~oOo~

Natasha looked over at Hawkeye where he sat on the roof, looking down twenty-four floors of balconies. Their target was in one of the rooms, it was just a matter of time before he poked their head out his door and was caught by her surveillance cameras, or went out on the balcony to be spotted by the marksman.

Her phone vibrated. She read the text from Tony, surprised as hell. _Stark doesn't like me within ten blocks of him...what's his angle?_

The phone buzzed again with a new text, this one from Hawkeye. _Target acquired, we going to Stark's?_

~oOo~

Steve flicked through channels, looking for documentaries to help fill the hole left by his long, cold sleep. Unfortunately, all that was on were the speculative pseudo-documentaries that tried to discredit God. He shook his head, and hit power.

His phone chirped, but he lost the text by hitting the wrong button. Five minutes later, the phone rang, only this time it was Pepper, apologizing for Tony's texting and telling him about Stark's impromptu party.

"Thanks, Ms. Potts. I was just wondering what to do with myself tonight."

"I'll send a car for you at six. See you later, Captain."

~oOo~

Bruce looked at the buzzing phone, the sound annoying him. Carefully setting the vial he was holding in a rack, he pushed away from his desk to see what Tony wanted now. Smiling at the invite, he looked around his hut located somewhere in the back end of the Amazon jungle region.

"Sorry Tony, can't make New York in three hours," he said aloud, voice creaky with disuse. Sliding out the keyboard, he texted,_ '__Location out of reach. Sorry.'_

"Wonder what he's got up his sleeve," he asked the lizard crawling along his window frame.

It didn't seem to care.

~oOo~

"Too bad we can't contact Asgard," Pepper said after her call to Steve. "Thor seems the type to always be ready for a party."

"Nuh uh. No way is he getting near my daughter. Just look at mythology, those guys were always going after the nubile young girls. He can play with his hammer in Asgard until she's old and gray."

Heimdall smirked from his station on the Bifrost and sent a runner to Odin. These mortals could be so entertaining. The All-Father should be happy to be rid of _that_, as well, and it's unceasing call for its owner.

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My thanks to Zeika, who has signed on as my beta. Believe me, everything's betta with a beta.


	11. Matchbox

Chapter Eleven

_Matchbox_

* * *

Fury looked at the dent in his car, and the Asgardian prince that had put it there. Thor rubbed his aching backside, wondering what these carriages had against him.

"I would say nice to see you again, but your presence on this world usually incurs extensive, and _expensive_, property damage and lots of overtime for myself and my crew." He shook his head ruefully, and turned to get back in the car. "Well, get in. I'm on my way to Stark's. He's throwing some impromptu party for the Avengers..."

"That is why I am here, as well." He picked up a long, slender package from the ground and slid it in the backseat before getting in. "Father said Pepper wished for me to attend, and transported me. To my good fortune, the Bifrost should be fixed within a week... it will be good to have free passage between the realms once again."

"Well, I hope that this time your visit is as innocuous as you believe it will be. What's in the package?"

"I could only render a guess, but I look forward to finding its owner tonight."

"Tonight? Why would something from Asgard have a human owner?" the S.H.I.E.L.D. director asked, immediately on the job.

"It is not of Asgard. Father said he found it floating in the void, the lost dimension between time and space, and that he had a vision warning him to hold it for the Warrior of Light, someone I have long desired to meet and prove my strength against. They destroyed an object of enormous power that was turned to evil's design, losing their god-won gift in the process."

Fury eyed the package with barely disguised disgust. Thor laughed. "Do not worry, it is remarkably pure of intent. I do not believe it _could_ be turned to diabolical use, even if the one connected to it turned."

"How do you know this?" Fury questioned, since Thor obviously didn't know the person it belonged to.

"It has a slight sentience, and told the warrior's tale to all who dream. Every triumph, every grief, and through it all, an amazing capacity for all-encompassing love and forgiveness.

"I remember the last dream before Father sealed it. It woke me that morning, my heart clenched with unsurpassed pain... for while I felled my great enemy, he had a wish that was granted upon his death, and I was stolen from the world of the living and locked away, alone in the darkness of the void, companions and family lost.

"It took days for everyone in the palace to stop mourning after it was sealed, all of us wondering if the warrior was ever freed. I worried that the tales would be lost, but Hod had memorized them." The blond giant sighed happily, "Every child in Asgard has played at being the Warrior of Light."

Fury heaved a sigh. Just great. A semi-sentient object inflicting dreams about Asgard's version of Howdy Doody on the populace. Exactly what he needed.

* * *

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For those of you too young for the Howdy Doody reference, substitute TMNT or MMPR. :)

I can't resist running jokes...


	12. Carry That Weight

Chapter Twelve

_Carry That Weight_

* * *

True to Tony's word, they'd given her a large room, along with a duffle full of workout clothes, strap-on free weights, water bottles, and other minutia branded with the club's logo. Putting her hair up in a ponytail and changing into a very comfy pair of yoga pants and a sleeveless clinging top, she went to the center of the room and sat down, starting off with meditation to organize and calm herself.

_So much changed in so little time... I haven't been out of the void a month yet._ She shivered at the memory and shakily exhaled, mentally expelling the fear with her breath. Thirty minutes later, she rose gracefully.

Keeping in that open, clear mindset found in meditation, she began her kata, slow and steady, focusing on doing the movements perfectly. Sango had shown her this, a discipline used by the taijiya to make their bodies supple, as well as to regain health after any catastrophic injury.

She did it a second time, faster. Sweat poured off her, but her muscles seemed to be crying for her to do the third set, which she'd not done since coming home. This time, the movements were done with strength, speed, and killing intent, turning grace into power. As she struck out at an invisible opponent, her heart ached. _Sango should have been there to counter me, instead of the shadow of a memory._

She headed for the showers and a massage, deep in thought. _Is it wrong to mourn them? No... I don't believe that. But I can't let grief control my life. Who knows, maybe I have a purpose here, too..._

Cleaned up and energized, if still slightly morose, she took the elevator to the penthouse, surprised at all the people inside. She hesitantly walked in, looking for someone she had at least met. Going down an unfamiliar hallway, a loud voice told her she was in a restricted area. Seeing no one around- disembodied voices usually meant an oncoming attack to her warring-states trained reflexes- she jumped into a battle-ready stance, only to remember JARVIS. Blushing, she relaxed, listening to him.

"Miss Kagome, I ask that you retrace your steps and turn left at the first hallway. Your room is the third door on the left. There is to be a party tonight to introduce you to the Avengers."

She thanked the A.I. and followed his directions to her room. _A party with his superhero friends, huh?_

Mama had shown her the news reports, as she'd been battling Naraku at the time. She smiled, thinking of Souta's probable reaction to meeting a number of superheroes at once. _I hope he doesn't bring up his inu-no-nii-chan, though... that might be a little difficult to explain away. I guess... maybe pass Inuyasha off as a manga character if he does? _

She hated the thought of discounting Souta's truthful words, but... _with all the trouble they've had with aliens, I don't think this world could handle their fairy tales coming true._

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I've always thought that Sango would not leave her completely defenseless... learning weapons takes years, but simple self defense takes little time to pick up. Everyone should learn at least the basics; how to break a wrist hold, fake fainting, what to allow and what to fight against, etc. It can save your life.


	13. Two of Us

Chapter Thirteen

_Two of Us_

* * *

Kagome found several stacks of clothes on her bed, all wrapped in tissue paper branded with the names of designers she'd only heard of in magazines. Running a finger over the closest stack, she wondered at the sheer number of packages. Her eyebrow quirked higher as she went around the bed and found a like number of shoe boxes.

A brisk knock at her door interrupted her, and she went to open it, finding Pepper on the other side. Letting her in, she gave a short bow, in lieu of trying to find something to say.

"Oh, good. Looks like you'll have plenty of choices for tonight," Pepper smiled compassionately at the young woman in front of her who was looking a bit overwhelmed. "I know this has to be rough on you, too. Your mom told us that she never told you about Tony. And he's hard to take when he's just being himself, much less finding out he's got a beautiful young woman for a daughter.

"But I want you to know... this kind of thing," she nodded to the clothes on the bed, "well, he's got a professional shopper on his staff for a reason. He's not doing this _just_ because you're his daughter, but because he's that nice of a guy."

She looked around, trying to find the words. "Kagome, I really hope you can give him a chance... I think you would be a good influence on him. He's a really good man, but he was raised as 'the brilliant genius of the Stark family,' which fed his less stellar personality traits."

She wrinkled her nose and laughed. "So he's also childish, self-absorbed, and reckless at times. He's kept me hopping over these years... like I was raising a perpetual two-year old. But his experience in the desert changed him, and he's been growing up. I think you're exactly what he needs to finally get to that happy, contented place he's been looking for all his life."

As Jarvis translated all of her words, she watched Kagome. While Tony was a perpetual child, this girl seemed to be an early adult. She'd been very grave this whole time, though that could be from exhaustion.

"I think I understand, Pepper-san. I still love my dad, and hold his memory dear." she stopped for a moment, thinking. "But I've found that the heart has infinite places to keep your precious ones. I'm sure that Tony will find a place in my heart, as he has in yours."

Pepper looked at this wise old woman disguised as a girl, her heart burgeoning with hope for Tony. "Good, he needs more people to love him without demands or expectations." She dropped the subject, not wanting to push anymore, and gestured to the piles of clothes. "It looks like you've had a whole boutique delivered, would you like some help finding something for tonight? Your mother's already picked hers out. Wait till you see her, she looks stunning in silver."

* * *

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Forgive Pepper's little white lies. Tony's got a professional shopper on staff because he's rich and lazy... she just wants to encourage the two.


	14. For No One

Chapter Fourteen

_For No One_

* * *

Kagome came out of her room, pulling a little at the sleeves of the moss green dress she'd chosen. Demur enough that she felt comfortable, it still flattered her curves enough that she'd twirled in front of the mirror and indulged in a daydream about Inuyasha's reaction to it.

She'd have to get mom to take a couple of pictures to show Yuka... her friend would know exactly what she was wearing and demand to know what it felt like. Knocking at the room next to hers, she went in when her mother answered. Souta sat on the bed, for once not complaining about having to dress up.

"Kagome, you look so pretty. My daughter's growing up." Aiko sniffled a time or two, reaching out to hug her. She then sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at Kagome and taking her hand. "I just hope I've done the right thing."

Souta crawled over and draped himself over her shoulders while Kagome leaned down to embrace both of them. "Mama, you know that you can't avoid hitsuzen _or_ fate. Both stir the waters; all we humans can do is hold tight to who we are and hope for fair winds."

She chuckled. "That's my wise daughter. I will make an offering at home to the miko that trained you."

Kagome smiled, thinking of Kaede, then silently mouthed her brother a warning. "Remember, don't mention Inuyasha or my absences."

Souta rolled his eyes. "It's not like they'd believe me." At her sharp look at the ceiling, he whispered, "Time-travel is a disproven science."

"Don't forget, they've met the gods from Asgard, Souta. They might be curious enough to check it out, which would be dangerous. Listen to your sister's words this time, my son." Aiko said quietly, reaching back and ruffling his hair.

"Sure, sure." he replied, then got a sly grin on his face. "Hey, Kagome, now that you've got a rich dad, you can get me the limited edition Mega-War 4 with the Akaikenjutsu action figure. It'd be a great way to help me remember not to mention your yanki boyfriend."

"Souta!" she squealed, lurching for him, catching their mother between them. Aiko dissolved into laughter as they both reverted to five-year-olds.

~oOo~

Outside, Natasha and Clint ran into Steve as he got out of the car. Greeting each other, they stood outside the building, looking up to where Tony was waiting. "Anyone know what this party is for?" Steve asked. At their negative answers, he shifted. "Why do I feel something big is coming up?"

Hawkeye shrugged, fingering the soft pouch hung over his shoulder that held one of his smallest collapsible bows. Not comfortable going unarmed, especially around the mix of people that would be here tonight, it was his concession to the 'entertainment' ideal specified. "We won't find out standing down here. Natasha?" he questioned, opening the door.

"By all means." The red-haired Russian put on her party smile as she went through the door.

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Akaikenjutsu- completely made up. If I haven't made a mess, it should mean something along the lines of (samurai) way of the red sword.


	15. Come Together

Chapter Fifteen

_Come Together_

* * *

They were surprised to see Thor standing with Fury by the elevators. "Everyone but Banner, that's a surprise." Fury commented, eyes glancing over them all.

"Curiosity is a strong motivator," Natasha commented, entering the elevator that had just opened. "Considering Stark normally wouldn't be happy with me within five hundred yards of any of his properties, I just had to see what was worth him throwing a party for this little group."

Clint's mouth tipped in a small grin. _She's going to hold onto that forever and a day,_ the marksman chuckled to himself. Natasha wasn't the forgive and forget type. He discretely took in her slim figure and the copper silk that made her skin glow, his fingers tensing for a moment as he thought of anyone else ogling her as he was. _My she-devil, _he thought as she flashed him a scorching look.

Completely ignoring the couple, Steve was first out of the crowded elevator. Tony was waiting just inside the living area, grinning foolishly. "Hey, welcome everyone... except you." he said, pointing to Thor. "You are a party-crasher and can turn right around and leave. Back to Asgard, my regards to your father. Thank you, no, I'm serious, don't go out..."

He threw up his hands as Thor brushed past him. "Really, Fury, did you have to have a plus one? I mean, I never really would have put you two _together_ like that, but doesn't the government frown on that sort of fraternization?"

His temper on a slow boil, Fury tried visualizing ice as he replied to the ass in a suit, "You did say Avengers, and he is one. Besides, apparently Pepper wanted him here, according to Odin."

Tony's eyes narrowed at the thought of peeping gods. "You don't say. Oh, shit..." His brain connecting peeping god with the male who just went out the glass door, Tony turned and went after Thor like the hounds of hell were after him, the group catching snippets of his ranting. "Pepper! He's... out there... without supervision... Keep him away..."

"He's acting like he's got a confidential piece of Stark tech out there." A thought hit Natasha and she smiled widely, and quite cattily, as she headed for the patio. Pepper was talking to a middle-aged Asian woman, a small boy and teenage girl by her side. Tony had managed to catch up with the Asgardian halfway, but the prince was trying determinedly to join the group.

Giving up, Tony motioned to them all while stepping between Thor and the women every time he moved. "Everyone, I want to introduce an old friend of mine, Aiko Higurashi. We met in Tokyo during my MIT days. And this is her son Souta, who can talk about A.I. technology more intelligently than any other kid I know. And, last but definitely not least, this is..." His face quirked into a smug smile as he motioned to her, "this is our daughter, Kagome."

_Definitely worth the trouble,_ _for such priceless reactions..._

* * *

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They meet!


	16. It's All Too Much

Chapter Sixteen

_It's All Too Much_

* * *

Ushering everyone back inside, he introduced them. "Kagome, Aiko, Souta, this is Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America. Clint Barton, the best marksman you'll ever meet. Natasha Romanoff, AKA the Black Widow, AKA stealer of company secrets. Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. And last and assuredly least in this case, Thor, hammer-loving prince of Asgard."

Said prince stared at him angrily as Tony kept stepping between him and the family.

"You... _you_ have a daughter?" Fury began to chuckle, once the initial shock wore off. "This is rich... your father..." He got his chuckles under control and bowed to the family. "My apologies, Mrs. Higurashi. It is not you or your family..."

She bowed back, not replying until JARVIS had said something to her. "Ah. I understand, Fury-san."

Natasha bowed to her as well, speaking to her in fluent Japanese. "You are very good at keeping secrets, Mrs. Higurashi. I investigated Tony's past and didn't find a hint of him having a child."

Steve offered his hand, welcoming them all as well. "Family is very precious, it is good that Tony and Miss Kagome could meet." Shaking hands with the boy, he tried to draw him into the conversation. "Hey, Souta. Do you have a favorite superhero?"

Souta grinned up at him. "You're one of them, but my sister is my favorite."

Steve chuckled. It wasn't often a boy his age even liked his sister, much less gave her hero status. He looked over as Thor finally made it around Tony and beelined to the girl.

Everyone stared as he went on one knee before her and shocked them once again. "Priestess," he exclaimed, capturing her hands. Kagome grew red at the attention, and in the back of mind she endlessly chanted _not again, not again, not again_. Her wordless prayer to the gods went unanswered as he declared, "To meet one of your beauty and power in these times! Please say you'll be mine!"

Tony immediately exploded, "Oh _hell_ no! Get your hands _off_ of my daughter. Pepper, _see_? I _told_ you these demigods were all pedophiles!-"

Just then, Thor wrapped his arms around her while kneeling, face too close to _those_ and his hands_ touching her rear_. Long days with Sango and Miroku patterned her reaction as her temper flared, the stress she was under breaking the hold she usually kept on her power.

"ECCHI KAMI!" A slap echoed through the house right before a soundless thunderclap of bright power flared, sending Thor flying through the windows, soaring past the helipad, and over the side of the building. The lights flickered, several bulbs bursting and the air filled with the sound of falling glass as the shattered windows slowly dropped their pieces.

Silence reigned as everyone looked unbelieving between the girl and the windows until Souta nodded. "And that's why she's my favorite hero, Captain," he said cheerfully. "Not even a god can stand up to _my_ sister."

Kagome groaned as everyone's eyes fastened on her.

* * *

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This was the first scene that I thought of when I started ELT... after I quit laughing, I just _had_ to puzzle out how they got to that point. Can't you imagine this drawn Marvel comic style?

Ecchi- pervert. What Kagome and Sango call Miroku. _Hentai_ is a _very_ bad word, never used by the girls. It refers to unacceptable, socially deviant, possibly illegal sexual behavior. One of my pet peeves is how easily fan fiction authors toss it around. Ecchi, or skebi, is more appropriate. Actually, just use English if possible and eliminate translation problems altogether.


	17. Here Comes The Sun

Chapter Seventeen

_Here Comes The Sun_

* * *

Tony stared at his daughter, who stood there with her face buried in her hands, and the wrecked wall of glass, hands tracing out his thoughts as he went over what just happened. "I, umm, hnn." Unable to articulate his feelings, he finished with "JARVIS? What does ecchi kami mean, and was that recorded?"

"The translation is lecherous god. We have coverage up until the blast, which disrupted the electronics around her. The outside cameras have footage of Thor being propelled off the building. All videos have been copied to your files."

"What exactly was that?" Fury asked, looking at Kagome speculatively as her mother remonstrated with her.

"Oh, no." Tony said, quickly divining Fury's interest. "No, no, no, you don't look at her like that. No cat in the cream look. Mi-nor, Fury. _Minor._ She's underage, and Daddy ain't giving consent." Tony stared down the director, ignoring everyone as they talked over each other.

"She just took down a demigod, Tony. Surely you can understand why-"

Steve jumped in, "No, Fury. We do not need to pull a young girl into this."

"Shouldn't we at least find out _what_ she did?" Natasha added, looking at the girl with amazement.

A thunderbolt lit up the sky, storm clouds quickly building up over the building. Hawkeye watched as Kagome tensed and ordered her family back, body dropping into a battle-ready stance as she moved outside, away from potential casualties. He spoke, drawing attention to what she was doing. "She may be underage, but she's a warrior. She's seen battle," he commented, looking at her mother. "The mother knows it, too."

Thor flew over the building's edge, shocking everyone with how heavily injured he was. He took one look at the girl and came at her fast, bringing down his hammer with serious intent. The Avengers began shouting for Thor to stop, scrambling to save the girl when a strange iridescence flared up around her. Mjölnir bounced off the barrier, wrenching out of Thor's hand and sending him skidding backwards.

The strap holding the slim package on his back broke, and he quickly tossed the case at her. The barrier dissipated as a pulse sent the air shivering. There was an answering pulse from the girl, and the resonance between them sent shattered glass swirling about in the wake of their power.

Kagome looked at the item that called to her, sensing the purity sealed away. She held up her hand, reaching into that well of power within her, and shouted, "Release!" The cover disintegrated in a shower of sparks, and a bright-red enameled longbow dropped into her hand. Light dripped from the tip, forming a bowstring as it curled and twisted to opposite end.

Kagome brought the bow she had won from Mount Asuza down in wonder. Body automatically shifting into position, she drew on Thor, an arrow made of nothing more than power nocked and aimed in a moment.

A final pulse that sang of victory echoed through the watchers.

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Boom shakalaka.

Thank you all for your wonderful comments!


	18. The Inner Light

Chapter Eighteen

_The Inner Light_

* * *

Thor took in the blazing power held on him and broke out in a brilliant smile. "Well done, Warrior of Light! It has been long since I've been bested as thoroughly." He went to one knee. "I apologize for being too familiar with your person, holy one. Please forgive my impulsiveness."

Quite ashamed of her reaction and loss of control, she lowered the bow and walked over to give him a hand up. She then bowed low to him, apologizing formally. "This one asks forgiveness for her rashness. To attack a guest in my father's house is the action of one without honor."

"No, little priestess. I impugned your honor by manhandling you, forcing you to discipline me. Indeed, the priests at home would have much more done to me with much less provocation."

"Okay, I declare honor assuaged on all sides." Tony grumbled, flipping up his faceplate. "Kagome, don't even think for a moment I hold you accountable. Kick him around anytime you want, just make sure I get it on video. Seeing _Legends of the Fall_ getting his ass handed to him by my teenage daughter is destined to be my favorite film of all time. JARVIS, translate that when we get inside the house. We have _got_ to work on this language barrier."

The two were taken aback by the sight of the Avengers putting away weapons that had been aimed at Thor before Tony's soliloquy. Thor was the most amazed, chuckling as Tony doffed the Iron Man suit. "Surely you didn't think I would hurt her? The Warrior's courage and strength are well known on Asgard. I have waited long to meet the destroyer of the jewel of power, and the opportunity to test my strength against theirs."

"This is the Warrior of Light you spoke of?" Nick turned to her disbelievingly. "How is it that Asgard has held the bow for centuries, yet Kagome here is a teenager?"

"Centuries?" Tony questioned, leaving the Mark 7 behind him and shaking out his cuffs. "Kagome, daughter of mine, I think you and your mother left out a _little_ piece of the story. Is this why you've been under surveillance?"

She held the bow behind her back and put on the wide-eyed adorable face that always got her out of trouble with Jii-chan. "We told you everything we know about them, otou-san. I just thought the rest should wait until you knew me better. Myths don't come true every day."

Natasha hid a grin at Tony's fatuous look, sending a knowing glance to her incredulous partner. _She's already wrapped him around her finger... this is going to be fun to watch._

"Surveillance?" Fury looked at them. "What's going on, Tony?"

"For the past few weeks, Kagome's had a tail and watchers set on her school and house. Aiko was worried and ran to Hong Kong, where they were quickly found again and Kagome fought off a kidnapper." Tony shrugged. "Had to see if you knew anything about it."

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There's a tribute to Dr. Who in there... tick tock.


	19. You Can't Do That

Chapter Nineteen

_You Can't Do That_

* * *

"I can't believe you thought we'd keep something this important from you," Fury grumped after hearing the story from Kagome and her mother.

"Forgive me for being cautious about an organization that's hacked me before. I've had a daughter for less than twelve hours, and she's being threatened. I'm discovering new depths here." Tony picked up his handheld. "The team I sent to Aiko's home hasn't found anything other than what we already knew. Whoever did this has been watching them very closely. Even shorting out their trackers like she did didn't keep them from finding her within hours."

Clint noted, "They use cameras to watch traffic extensively in Tokyo and the surrounding area. Someone with access, or a decent hacker, could have tracked them that way."

Pepper saw Aiko suppressing a yawn. "If you don't have questions that can't wait for tomorrow, they're exhausted. I'll take them back to their rooms."

"Right. Jet lag and all... you guys go ahead, get some rest. Sleep in as late as you want. And don't worry, Aiko, Kagome. We'll find out who this is." After a round of good nights, he turned back to his handheld, sending out directives.

"I need you guys to keep her last name a secret," he said, looking up. "Aiko's husband listed Kagome as first daughter, even though he knew she wasn't his, which is apparently some sort of potential social gaffe that could bounce back on Aiko's father-in-law negatively. And since he's dead, he can't refute rumor."

"Rumors can tarnish a reputation quickly," Natasha said. "And reputation is everything there."

"Good... The judge is willing to seal all the files, and the lawyers handling everything have been told to keep a lid on it. So, now it's just neutralizing this threat. Simple."

"I cannot believe you are ignoring what happened tonight," Nick pointed out.

"Sir, I received several calls from interested parties asking about the fireworks," JARVIS interjected, "as there was no permit for them issued. I made the usual apologies, assuring them that no more would be set off and your guests would not be driving home inebriated."

"That can be explained in the press conference tomorrow," Pepper said, making notes as she walked back into the room. "No one's going to be upset Tony got a little carried away celebrating the arrival of his long lost daughter."

"No, they're going to be too busy laughing that Tony Stark, billionaire playboy, _has_ a daughter." Fury contemplated the glass covering the floor. "Tony, you need to find out what she's hiding. Asgard has held that bow how long?"

"It was found several centuries ago, your time. But you are dealing with the border of time and space. Time does not run in the void as it does in this reality, so _when_ we found it matters little." Thor rubbed his beard. "You should be interested in how her enemy banished her into the void in the first place. That's not currently within your people's scientific abilities."

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The Doctor Who reference in the last chapter was 'daughter of mine' from the 'Family of Blood' episode.


	20. Soldier of Love

Chapter Twenty

_Soldier of Love_

* * *

"Wait a minute. I thought the bow was in the void, what's this about her being there? And how is that even possible... this is starting to sound like some weird Japanese anime flick." Tony headed to the bar, needing a drink.

Thor shrugged. "I know dream tales retold by Hod, my elder brother. She and several companions fought a devious enemy that made a point of targeting her. He trapped her in a hell dimension, hoping to destroy her heart or leave her there, but she freed herself and the soul of another. He tried to destroy the village they were based in with poisonous gasses and she cleansed them. Eventually he was defeated when she filled the object of their fight with her soul-light, but the honorless scut had planned for her victory. Upon his death, she was banished along with his remains to the void; with the idea that after she had lost hope of escaping, he would be revived in order to continue their fight for eternity."

"It _does_ sound like a graphic novel." Clint commented. "Who knows what the truth is?"

"We'll have a nice father to daughter chat later, when she's not jet-lagged and exhausted. Steve, you're being awfully quiet over there. No words of wisdom to us youngsters from the old man?" Holding up the bottle, Tony offered a drink to the room, unstacking glasses and pouring himself a second.

Declining with the wave of a hand, Steve walked over to one of the few chairs not covered in glass and sat down. "Were any of you close enough to her to feel the light coming from her?"

"Ah," Thor replied, downing the whiskey. "You felt her soul-light. That is enough to make any man lose himself in thought."

Eyes narrowing, the new father glared at the two, causing a bout of quickly suppressed laughter from the women. Steve shook his head. "I was caught by the edge of it, when Thor threw her the bow. I haven't felt anything like it before. It was warm, accepting..."

"Love in its purest form." Thor straddled a barstool. "There used to be more like her... gifted women devoted to their people over themselves. They were the warrior queens, the priestesses, the spiritual leaders who became intermediaries between humanity and the gods. They healed the sick and guided souls. When necessary, they interceded between humans and _others_, leading armies or fighting alone when intercession failed."

"So, Kagome is one of these priestesses?" Natasha asked, looking up from the statement she and Pepper were preparing. "Or since she's Japanese... a miko, I think? I don't think she's Buddhist. They're more about inner peace and the afterlife than healing and protection."

Pepper looked up the information on her tablet. "It says here she was raised on a Shinto shrine, impressive, Natasha."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Now that _what_ she is has been settled," he drawled sarcastically, "Let's get back to the main issues. Who wants her, and why?"

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A nod to Sesshoumaru, who was the first to ask, "What are you?"

I know there's more to Buddhism- I used a stereotype because it was called for.

I've got Chibi Tony and Chibi Clint running around me arguing anime vs manga. Boys!


	21. Slow Down

Chapter Twenty-One

_Slow Down_

* * *

Kagome was grateful Mama hadn't left New York yet, as she lay curled up on her bed with her head in her mother's lap. _I don't want her to go home, but Jii-chan and Souta need her. At least it's not like I'm on the other side of the well. I can call and email... I can't believe that with all my warnings to Souta, I'm the one who messed up. I owe him an apology. What do I say to everyone now? I'm such a horrible liar..._

Aiko ran her fingers through her daughter's hair, gently soothing the frazzled teen. _My poor little girl. I knew when she was born she would have a unique destiny. I just wish it wouldn't hurt her so. _She kept running her fingers through the dark, wavy locks, waiting patiently for Kagome to talk about what was bothering her.

"I really blew it, didn't I, Mama?"

"No, Kagome. You simply irrefutably proved yourself." She listened as Kagome sighed, smoothing out another tangle. "I have to admit, while I believed your tales of the other world, I never really understood what you could do till today. That display of power surprised me... you were amazingly beautiful, standing there ready for battle while encompassed by the god's light."

"Thank you. I hope it doesn't make things awkward... especially with Tony-otou-san and Thor-kami-sama. I'm tired of people claiming me for my power... but now, without..."

"Shhh. I miss Inuyasha too. Don't give up hope, Kagome. I have no doubt that you have a purpose here now, just as you did there then. And I cannot believe the gods would separate those connected by the red string of fate, especially when they took such pains to bring you together in the first place."

"Mama, how much should I tell them? I don't want them disturbing Jii-chan or digging up the shrine..."

Aiko considered the question for a moment. "I think you should be honest with Tony-kun, but tell him away from this JARVIS and everyone else. He will know how much is safe for others to hear." Smoothing her hand a last time down Kagome's hair, she patted her gently. "You are exhausted, and too much has happened in too little time. Go to sleep. Things will look better in the morning."

Closing the door softly, Aiko went to check on her son. Picking up the clothes he had dropped, she folded and set them on a chair, then pulled the covers over him properly. She smoothed his bangs away from his face, marveling at how much he was beginning to look like his father.

_I have been a lucky woman... to know both the love that burns bright and fast like leaves in fall, and a love like embers, strong and lasting. My dear husband, I hope you can see your children. They do us both honor, with their strong spirits and open hearts. _

She leaned down and kissed Souta's forehead, then headed for her room.

* * *

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A little more of Aiko, before she has to go home.


	22. Chains

Chapter Twenty-Two

_Chains_

* * *

After breakfast, Tony, Pepper, Aiko, and two lawyers adjourned to the office to sign paperwork. A small group of workers was cleaning up the shattered glass while another replaced the windows. Kagome looked over at them guiltily, but as she'd already been stopped from taking care of the mess herself, she just sighed deeply and turned back to Souta's conversation with Thor.

She had been surprised to see him at the breakfast table, and stunned when she'd learned he volunteered to be her bodyguard until he returned to Asgard. She was honored by his offer, even more so when Pepper told her that Tony had allowed it only after Thor swore a hundred different oaths. Pepper had laughed then, telling her she wasn't sure if Thor could have even a sibling's affection for her now.

She watched as her brother taught Thor how to play _jan ken_. The big Asgardian was taking to the game with enthusiasm, promising to teach it to his companions back home. The thought of _jan ken_ becoming a fad among the gods thanks to her little brother amused her. _Oh, Souta... you think I'm the hero? Between jet 'copter statistics and teaching children's games to the prince of Asgard, _you're_ going to be the hero to all your friends as soon as you get home. _

She wilted at the thought. They were going home as soon as Mama was finished with the lawyers, leaving her alone for this afternoon's press conference. Her stomach turned, and she wished she _was_ 'recovering' in Australia, Grandfather's official cover story. She'd never been someone who looked for attention, and now the whole world would be looking at her. Or, rather, at Tony Stark's daughter.

She was nervous about the press conference. Her English skills weren't very good and she'd seen a couple of interviews before where the reporters just threw question after question at the people. She suddenly had an idea. Excusing herself, she went back to her room. "JARVIS?"

"Yes, miss? How may I help you?"

"I'm worried about the press conference... The ones I've seen looked really scary. Can you help me with my English comprehension? Especially with phrases I'll need to understand today. I'm pretty good at reading English, but it's hard to learn pronunciation from schoolbooks."

"It will be my pleasure. I have numerous press conferences on record you can watch to acclimate yourself to American speech and behavioral patterns. I also have several programs for controlling anxiety in public forums that you may consider watching."

"Thank you!" She thought for a moment more. "You are with Father constantly, right?"

"Yes, I am present in all Mr. Stark's personal electronics. May I inquire why you wished to know?"

"I don't know anybody here, and if I say something to the wrong person it could mean trouble for him. I thought that if I could borrow something you're in, you could keep me from embarrassing anyone... especially myself."

"Excellent idea, miss. I am relaying your request."

* * *

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Jan Ken- short for jan ken po; rock, paper, scissors in English.

Why is Kagome 'recovering' in Australia? Most of the excuses Grandfather makes for her are his own problems. A dry, hot climate alleviates many elderly ailments, and Australia is a popular destination for vacationing Japanese.

Switching from otou-san to Father- Tou is father when you are speaking to your father. Chi chi is father when you are speaking to someone else about your father. Since chi chi has a different meaning in the US, I'm not using it.

Kagome would have started English classes in 6th or 7th grade, so she'd have some book knowledge, but very little audio knowledge. I've read that very recently, Japanese schools have begun to teach second languages to elementary students. I applaud them, since it is easier to learn languages as a child.

Speaking of languages, I've been asked a couple of times if I speak Japanese. No, I'm sorry to say. But I do tons of research, and I listen to the language often enough that I can pick up nuances that don't come through with translations.


	23. A Taste of Honey

Chapter Twenty-Three

_A Taste of Honey_

* * *

As they waited for the helo to show, Pepper went over their travel itinerary. "You'll be flown to the airport and will have approximately twenty minutes before Tony's jet will be finished with fueling and inspection. The crew has instructions to give you the V.I.P. treatment. If you would like something, just ask them and they will do their best to provide it. I especially recommend you take advantage of the chef. Her focus is French fusion cuisine, but she also makes the most sinfully delicious desserts.

"There will be a car waiting for you at Tokyo International to take you home. I've hired a highly respected security firm to provide protection for your family and the shrine. They will make an appointment with you to discuss installing a security system as well. Please don't worry about cost, Stark Industries is covering it and taking the tax deduction."

She handed over a thick packet to the overwhelmed woman. "These are copies of all the legal arrangements we signed this morning, as well as a letter for Souta's school, a request for Kagome's transcripts routed through our Australian branch to back up your father's story, and all the financial paperwork. The funds are already available, so you can use them to pick up a few souvenirs at the airport if you wish."

Aiko opened the envelope, puzzling over the papers until she found three bankbooks, debit cards falling into her hands. "Three? Tony-kun? I just agreed to child support, and didn't want that in the first place." She looked at the balances and her head swam.

"Whoa, no falling at my feet in gratitude. I only expect that from senators and stockholders. Sixteen years of child support from a billionaire is a _seriously_ eye-popping amount. And I threw in a trust fund and college money for Souta. Good cover story... He's what? Eight?"

She tried to speak, but he cut her off with a wave and she capitulated, "Yes, he's eight, but..."

"So, while getting Kagome settled in Australia, Souta was overheard discussing A.I. limitations. One of my partners... make it Philip Jansson... told you about a scholarship offered by my company and brought you with him to meet me. Souta qualified for it easily, and Tony Stark was overheard telling Jansson that the kid understood A.I. technology better than ninety percent of MIT graduates. Bragging rights for you both."

"It's too much! Kagome is one thing..."

"I don't want her upset because she gets the world on the string and her brother doesn't. She adores him, so he deserves all the same chances she'll have.

"That," he nodded to the bankbooks, "doesn't even make a dent. I've lost more in Monaco on a wild weekend. But it makes my daughter happy, eases her mother's burden, and I get the chance to send an extremely bright kid to college. All of which is an inducement for said kid to come work for me when he graduates. See, I'm being completely selfish."

* * *

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Poor Mama H. Steamrollered by Tony.


	24. Tell Me What You See

Chapter Twenty-Four

_Tell Me What You See_

* * *

Kagome reflected that if there were more people selfish like Tony, it would be a much better world. JARVIS had told her what he sent home with her mother, though she was fairly certain Pepper had told him to. She found she liked talking to the A.I.; having never expected to meet one before, especially one so advanced that it trumped the movies.

After seeing her mother and brother off, she headed back for a final cram session with JARVIS. She was already more confident with the phrases and sentences they had been reviewing.

"Miss, your presence is requested in the living room. Don't worry, you have learned a remarkable amount for the short time we've worked together. You will be a credit to yourself and both your families."

"Thank you, JARVIS." She slipped her feet into a dainty pair of sandals that complemented the cornflower blue trumpet skirt and white batiste and lace shirt. The fragility of the fabric and lace made her feel delicate and pretty, a boost for her spirit.

Pepper was waiting for her, and her eyes widened appreciatively. "I don't think we're going to change the clothes, you look amazing. Tony is going to have a fit when men start hitting on you."

Kagome shrugged, uninterested. "You can tell him I'm not interested in any of them. I've met the one I'm connected to by the red string of fate." Her face softened, and she started to glow. "I can't see ever being with anyone else."

"Ah, Kagome? You might want to watch what you're thinking in public. You're glowing."

She flushed, the glow replaced by ruddy cheeks. "I'm _glowing_? Maybe it's the power boost from the bow... I'll be careful, Pepper-san."

"I would like you to call me Pepper, Kagome. We're going to be together a lot, and I'd like another female friend."

Kagome smiled her sad smile and inclined her head slightly. Pepper didn't know if she should ask about the melancholia, or act as though she hadn't noticed. She finally decided on the latter. "What is the red string of fate? And aren't you a bit young to be thinking about forever with someone?"

She would remember that look the rest of her life; the _knowing_ in Kagome's eyes giving her a fey cast. "We meet people every day, and our aura, our essence, reaches out to them all. We form connections to them... family, friends, lovers, enemies." She held her left hand against her heart. "But the rarest is the red thread, the one that connects two hearts life after life. Once you meet them, there is simply no one else for you. You are complete."

"It extends from your pinky to theirs..." Reaching for Pepper's hand, she unfocused her eyes, then refocused. "...a blush of red. But as hearts become stronger, the color deepens until it is as crimson as festival flags." She gently traced Pepper's finger, "I am happy for you... you and father hold the possibility of crimson."

* * *

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The red string of fate is said to immediately tie lovers together, but I think the original legend leaves out human nature. I prefer to believe it starts as a strong possibility, that instant _click_, then strengthens or weakens according to the lovers' actions and feelings.


	25. All I've Got To Do

Chapter Twenty-Five

_All I've Got To Do_

* * *

Tony paced as his daughter disappeared into hair and makeup. Yes, Kagome was most definitely his daughter. Money buys a lot, including expedited DNA results. But he barely knew her, and she'd shown that she had no trouble omitting huge details. Of course, being honest with himself, he'd not have believed her without that spectacular display she put on.

He didn't trust easily, but he _was_ a consummate actor. Both came with his position. He'd been able to act nonchalant ever since she'd taken down Thor, but inside his stomach was tearing itself up. How could a child of his, with no genetic tinkering, have the power to take out an alien demi-god that Iron Man could only fight to a draw? He pulled a flask from his jacket and took a swig.

He'd always sworn he'd be a better dad than his father was, but he was coming to realize how damn hard it was, especially since they'd known each other all of a day. To be a dad meant you had to have trust in your kids, didn't it?

He blew out a long breath, and went over things logically. He had a kid. He knew very little of this child, other than she was crazy powerful and lied. Well, omitted. Thinking back, nothing she'd ever said was a lie... Well, great. There was no doubt she was a Stark; being able to lie your ass off and have your words be nothing but truth was a family talent.

He had helped make her, so he was responsible for her. He knew he needed the whole story, but how the hell to get her to trust him? Without making her cry, crushing her like he did his business rivals, or causing her to resent or hate him? She seemed really sweet, and, damn if he didn't think of his own mother when Kagome's little mannerisms echoed his memories. Plus, Aiko was an honorable woman. She wouldn't let her daughter become a lying, manipulative bitch.

So, patience. She barely knew him, probably worried about his trustworthiness like he did hers. In addition, everything she'd gone through would be considered fantasy by most people. She had to be worried about being declared a mental case. So he'd extend the olive branch first, no matter how ill it made him to offer so much trust to a stranger.

He'd protect her, find out more about this crazy power she had and where it came from. And if she became a threat, well, he'd deal with that if it ever came to it. Meanwhile, he'd keep his calm, collected demeanor and do his best to accept her and believe what she told him without going ballistic or asking her if she'd been medicated recently.

He took another swig from the flask and put on his public face. Time to play media games. Warn off the smart, make life damn difficult for the stupid, and throw in a little test of his own.

* * *

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A little insight into Tony's seemingly unconcerned reactions.

Clarification: As the summary states, this is the next chapter in everyone's adventures. Just as the different movies- Iron Man 1&2, Captain America, Thor, Avengers- are linked but tell a different part of the whole story, I'm linking in Inuyasha. That means keeping to canon as I much as I can.

Yes, Kagome is sad right now. Wouldn't you be, after Naraku and the Jewel's cruelty? She's resilient though.


	26. Things We Said Today

Chapter Twenty-Six

_Things We Said Today_

* * *

Kagome ran water over her wrists and tried to to calm down with a deep breathing exercise, but almost immediately began sneezing from all the products used on her. The stylist had shaped, treated, and pinned her long hair into a waterfall of curls that she actually liked. However, the makeup felt like it was a centimeter thick, and the smell of pancake made her nose itch.

She peered into the mirror, not recognizing herself. Her face was porcelain pale, eyelashes thickened and curled, making her dark eyes large and captivating. A faint flush was painted on, her features defined and perfect thanks to the artist's brush. _I look like an Americanized version of a girl's day doll. Not even Ayumi will recognize pictures of me._

One last deep breath and she returned to Thor, who led her to the newsroom annex. Tony's awe-struck reaction won a small smile from her. "You know, we could just post a notice in the paper. Think of all the money we'll save on lawsuits and PR if Iron Man isn't putting the beat down on wannabe boyfriends."

"Indeed, I find myself looking forward to laying out any suitors with dishonorable intentions." Thor nodded to Tony, sharing a moment of perfect accord.

Kagome's smile grew a little brighter. _It's like having Inuyasha and Kouga banding together to protect me, instead of fighting each other._ "Thank you, but don't worry. None could compare to who I already know."

Pepper hid a grin when Tony puffed up in pride, understanding Kagome's allusion. _Tricky girl. But we don't need him going ballistic right now, finding out his daughter is pretty much engaged. I hope I get to meet this paragon someday._

Looking forward to everyone's reactions, Tony offered Kagome his arm and they entered the lion's den.

~oOo~

When Tony Stark came into the room with an unknown woman on his arm, the press went insane. Questions came thick and fast before they even got to the podium.

"Are you engaged?"

"Are you married?"

"Who is the girl who caught Tony Stark?"

"When is the baby due?"

Tony took the mic and signaled for silence, face screwing up in distaste at the last question. "Okay, now that you guys aren't trying to make me into a sicko pervert that deserves Big Bubbly Bubba for a cell mate, I'd like to answer those questions so we are clear. I have no fiancée; I am not getting married; it is known the whole wide world over just how easy it is for a girl to catch me; and as for the last one? Ah. No, there is no baby.

"But, I have to admit, at one point there _was_ a baby... who grew up into a wonderful, beautiful, smart teenage girl. Of course, I could be a little prejudiced, having a hand in some miniscule part of that at least. So, please say hello to the future face of Stark Industries... my daughter and heir, Kagome Stark.

The room imploded.

* * *

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As Zeika said, _boom_!

I've done glamor shots before, and no one recognized me in the photos. Makeup is a underestimated tool.


	27. Hold Me Tight

Chapter Twenty-Seven

_Hold Me Tight_

* * *

"Sharks in the water. That's all they are, sharks who got a sniff of blood and went insane. Pepper, we almost lost her... if she hadn't had JARVIS with her and Thor hadn't been able to fly her out, she'd be in the morgue. Bastards." He stalked up and down the living room. "Find some way to distract me before I introduce them to pissed daddy Iron Man."

"I've already filed lawsuits against the ringleaders who cut power to the elevator after the press conference, and the news outlets they worked for. The ones who tried going through the ceiling access panel are in critical condition after being caught in the elevator's fall. The D.A. called, and they're pushing the criminal case to be an example of New York's intolerance for 'the paparazzi's life-threatening actions against a minor.' Endangerment of a minor will be the least of the charges filed.

"Public opinion polls show 89.7% of Americans are outraged at the actions of the press and 28.2% are in favor of attempted manslaughter charges being filed." Her lips twitched at the irony of her next report. "_The Morning World_ called Kagome 'The Hidden Princess of the Stark Family' and condemned the attack on her."

"Huh. That's an umbrella corporation for you. A 'hidden Princess' is she?" The sparkle in his eyes boded no good for the easily embarrassed teen. "JARVIS, what is princess in Japanese?"

"Oujou-sama is the correct term."

"Call her that. What?" He looked at Pepper as she rolled her eyes. "Why shouldn't I call her princess? Hey, look into vanity plates for Princess Stark. She's sixteen; a car and driving lessons are imperative."

Pepper came around the desk and took his face in her hands, looking him in the eye. "Tony, get to know her before you hide her behind what you _think_ a teenager should like and want. You need to talk to her. Find out how she feels about going from unknown to a media darling. She was shocked when you declared her your heir, you know. And she's always so quiet and sad... Yesterday was a mess, of course, but the longer you wait to talk to her, the harder it will be."

He heaved a long-suffering sigh and gave her his puppy eyes. She laughed and kissed him, beginning to burn as she leaned into his warm, hard body. She drew back, eyes sparkling. "The plane is waiting. Go to the house in California and take her to the canyon."

They heard JARVIS in the other room... and Kagome came around the corner, face red. "Otou-san! That isn't funny!"

He snickered.

Pepper bent close to his ear, and whispered, "Polls also have Thome as the hottest new couple, and there is speculation that Stark Industries is going to become the sole purveyor of Asgardian technology, thanks to a marital alliance in the works." It was her turn to smirk when he jumped up and called for Kagome to pack a bag.

_Mission accomplished._

* * *

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I had fun trying to contract Thor and Kagome, and finally couldn't decide which I liked best. Sugar r0o cast the deciding vote for Thome.

Clarification: Yes, hime means princess. But that's _old_ Japanese. Modern Japanese for the generic term is ou (denoting royalty or nobility) jou (denoting female) -sama (denoting high respect). The generic term for prince is ouji-sama. These terms are often used with the children of rich parents. The actual terms when referring to the Imperial family are dependent on many factors, and I don't wish to cause offense by getting them wrong.


	28. Twist and Shout

Chapter Twenty-Eight

_Twist and Shout_

* * *

"And in entertainment news, everyone is buzzing about the appearance of Kagome Stark, billionaire Tony Stark's previously unknown daughter. Just yesterday, after the press conference announcing her as heir to Stark Industries, a mob of unruly-"

"Mute." Tony grumbled to himself as he poured a scotch. Looking up at the TV, he scowled at the mugshots of the bastards that had trapped Kagome between floors and attempted to crawl down the shaft to take pictures through the access hatch. "Channel 48, sound low."

"...the girl's mother is a complete mystery woman. No one has been able to discover _anything_ about this daughter before her appearance yesterday. But whatever her provenance, she's done wonders for Stark Industries. Stocks have risen-"

"Channel 25." Tony sipped his drink, pleased that everything had gone as expected. Whoever was hunting her had been just put on notice.

"Did you see how stunning she was? That divine bone structure and those devastating eyes... I could just eat her up! There is absolutely no doubt in my mind she's the real deal. Of course, she's a teenager now, but people are still wondering if it's going to be a case of 'like father, like daughter.' A close source names singer/songwriter-"

"Channel 57."

"I worry about the safety and mental health of a young girl living in that situation. Drunken parties, indiscriminate relationships... Tony Stark has shown over and over again his reckless, promiscuous life takes precedence over his duties-"

"Off." Oh, Senator Stern was going to pay for that. _Attack me all you want, bring my kid into it..._ Tony pulled out his handheld and began digging for anything he might have missed on the oh-so-_noble_ senator. "I give it a week before he's run out of Washington..." he thought aloud as he anonymously dropped the file in a reporter's inbox.

"Otou-san?" He looked up to find Kagome looking at him curiously.

"Sorry, talking to myself. The press conference worked, your name and face are all over the country. Only a fool would take you now... as bad as the elevator incident was, it made everyone fall in love with you."

"People are strange here... and the elevator wasn't too bad, I've been in worse situations." _Try climbing up a youkai's skeleton to get away from the caustic fumes of his son's drool. _That_ was terrifying._ "Flying with Thor-kami-sama was fun, if windy."

He snorted. "I'll take you out with the Iron Man suit. I can go supersonic."

She giggled. "Thanks. I miss the sky."

He looked at her, wondering if she was going to open up. "Such mysterious comments. Care to explain?"

"I will, when there is no one to hear."

"Are you really okay? I've kinda thrown you into the deep end here."

She bit her lip, considering her answer. "It's not easy, but I'm good with unusual situations. And JARVIS is incredibly helpful... thank you for letting me use him."

He reached over and ruffled her hair. "Nothing but the best for my girl."

* * *

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Senator Stern is the self-important stuffed shirt from IM2.


	29. When I Get Home

Chapter Twenty-Nine

_When I Get Home_

* * *

Tony apologized profusely for the next hour, stifling his laughter at her ruffled demeanor. "No more rumpling the hair, I promise, Kagome. I'll even have Pepper send out a memo. Rumpled hair makes kitten glare. See, I even made it rhyme, it will stick in everyone's head now." He laughed at the face she made, unable to keep his eyes off her very long. He shifted gears, engine whining as he sped through the California hills on the way to his recently remodeled house.

The speed didn't seem to bother her at all, or the hairpin turns he took. Pepper would have been having a heart attack by now. Kagome just kept smoothing the twist she held her long hair in, trying to keep the wind from tangling it... as much as one could with a convertible at least.

He didn't understand how she could be so quiet, unless it was Aiko's influence. Starks were, as a rule, rowdy and headstrong and quite sure they were always in the right.

He took the last turn, the house he'd half-destroyed the last time he was here coming into view. He watched her, wanting to see her reaction to it. "Welcome to home sweet home- in this part of California, at least. Bedrooms are in the back, my office and lab downstairs by the parking garage. Something I've been thinking about changing since crushing a car with the Mark 2 prototype. By the way, you should think about what kind of car you want. Don't know how it is in Japan, but here sixteen means your driver's license and first car. Something fast. I can tell you're a speed demon like your old man."

Gratified at her wide eyes, he opened the door for Kagome and assessed the repairs done after his and Rhodie's disagreement. Was that only a few months ago? It felt like a lifetime or two. "JARVIS, you up?"

"Up and ready as always for you, sir. Miss, you have several packages from your family waiting in your room."

Her face lit up and she headed towards the back of the house, waving off Tony's question about dinner.

"Sir, I have a list of her favorite foods. I can place an order if you like."

"Good, at least one of us knows something about her. Have dinner delivered around eight." He ran his fingers through his hair. "And how do you know her favorite foods?"

"Mrs. Higurashi gave me information to help you through various situations, sir. According to her, Kagome can be stubborn and refuses to listen at times, so you would need the assistance."

"I am going to kiss that woman the next time I see her."

"She left a message for you as well, sir. 'Kagome is like you, she'll slip away from any questions she doesn't want to answer, and is very good at circular answers that confuse more than they inform. Talk to her somewhere private, keep her confidences, and you'll win her trust.'"


	30. And Your Bird Can Sing

Chapter Thirty

_And Your Bird Can Sing_

* * *

Kagome looked out at the desert canyon, awed by the colors that deepened and glowed under the westering sun. "It's beautiful," she exclaimed, face open with wonder.

Tony shoved his hands in his pockets, wondering how he'd missed that her cool demeanor wasn't natural for her. "I like to run here, away from everything." He walked over to a rock shelf jutting out from under a scrub tree and sat down. "I thought it might be a good place for us to talk."

She looked at this stranger who was her father, taking him into consideration. His eyes showed he wasn't the ditz he played, and she felt no darkness in him. _Mama said to trust him... and she's never fooled by appearances._

"Are we alone, or is JARVIS here? This needs to be a secret."

Tony pulled out his handheld and turned off the wireless. "Beautiful and savvy. I've turned off the wireless, but we'll need the translation software."

She nodded, "I'm going to hide us, too. I've been reading the shrine's records and found this spell." She started chanting, concentrating on thoughts of privacy, and a barrier flexed into place over them.

Tony reached toward it, jumping when she stopped him. "It will break if you touch it." She lay down the bow she had been carrying everywhere, and dug into her messenger bag while Tony let out a long, appreciative whistle. She pulled out an envelope and placed it beside him. "Writing is easier."

"We'll burn it afterwards. This is starting to feel a little 007ish. Pepper's a shoo-in for M, so you'll have to be K. Though Iron Man's way cooler than Bond ever was." She joined him on the ledge, rolling her eyes at his childishness before getting lost in the gorgeous skyline.

_A thousand years ago, there was a miko named Midoriko. She was strong in power, and a talented warrior. In time, a man came to lust after her._ Tony frowned at that. "So people haven't really changed, have they?" She shook her head, still staring at the beautiful country in the distance.

_Knowing she would not leave her duty for him, he gave his body to spirits... _"Ugh, he let them eat him? Weird way of showing he loves her."

"Loves?" She shook her head. "He wanted to possess her, to defile her purity and break her." Her face was dark with some unknown emotion... he hated seeing her so upset. Lacking a way to comfort, he turned back to the letter.

_These spirits despised her, _"Understandable, since she's killing them. I thought the Chitouri battle was tough... it wasn't near the seven days she fought." _Knowing she couldn't win, and not wishing to leave the hanyou alive, she seized both their souls and crystallized them into a jewel, the Shikon no Tama. _"Let me guess. This Shikon no Tama was all powerful and everyone wanted it?"

She nodded. "A shard increased a youkai's power immensely. But whole it offered a wish."


	31. Magical Mystery Tour

Chapter Thirty-One

_Magical Mystery Tour_

* * *

"You're kidding? A wish?" Tony looked over at her, skepticism all over his face. "What kind of story are you feeding me? I'm not going to have someone suddenly yell _punked_, am I?"

She puzzled over what he said, not getting it. Shrugging it off, she said, "Yes, a wish. But it would twist the wish, causing despair and death. Legend said a pure wish would destroy it, so..."

"Kagome, wishes _are_ selfish. It's their nature." She patted his knee and motioned to the letter. He huffed out a breath and continued.

_This jewel passed through many hands, becoming tainted and evil in the hands of corrupt souls and cleansed of taint in the hands of pure souls... _"Five hundred years and no one figured out the jewel had a brain? And let me guess, it needs to recharge by absorbing another miko/hanyou set? Ha! Right the first time." A few moments later, he said something that eased the old wound to her soul. "You know, treating a bandit on the sly was a really stupid thing to do."

The smile Kagome bestowed on him was brilliant. "I usually hear how perfect she was. Thank you."

"I worry that you hang around too many idiots. Stop that. They rot the brain." He flipped the page and began reading again.

_As before, he offered himself to spirits, and the spirits attacked the miko in her lover's form, leaving her mortally wounded. They then took her form, and attacked the hanyou. Each believing the other had betrayed them, the hanyou stole the jewel and the miko went after him, pinning him in eternal sleep with an arrow through his heart._

"Oww, that had to hurt. At least she didn't shoot the family jewels." He shook his head, not believing how gullible they were. "Didn't trust each other, did they? At least she was smart enough to not wish on it, though now I can _laugh_ at those who say 'you can't take it with you when you die.'"

He read on, pointing out, "I don't believe in reincarnation. If everyone who claimed to be the next incarnation of Cleopatra was for real, she would have had one hell of a split personality disorder."

Kagome winced at that. "I really am her reincarnation. It was proven, otou-san. A witch brought her back to life by stealing my soul and putting it in a clay figure made from her ashes."

"The hell?!" He stared at her. "You're rather calm about a witch stealing your soul to resurrect Zombie Barbie. How can you be alive without a soul?"

"I took most of it back! I have a large soul; the little she kept didn't hurt me."

"Most of it? She kept some?" Something else clicked in his mind. "Wait, so there was one point you didn't have a soul?" He looked horrified.

"Err." She flinched. She'd glossed over this with Mama. "I was dead for a little bit. But I came back! All better now."

* * *

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Bring out your dead...


	32. Sweet Little Sixteen

Chapter Thirty-Two

_Sweet Little Sixteen_

* * *

"So let me see if I've understood this. A monster pulled you through time and _bit_ a huge hunk out of you that had this jewel in it. _Even after that_, Aiko _let_ you skip school to fix what you broke as some sort of honor-obligation-deal. You, your just-turned-sixteen-self, have killed innumerable opponents, including this last guy who wished you into a jewel to become some sort of miko/hanyou mystic power source slash twisted wish granter."

She rubbed her temples and nodded. She agreed with what she understood. "But Inuyasha cut his way into the jewel and saved me."

He wasn't too happy how her voice and face went soft and glowy when she spoke of him, but he had to admit the boy had guts. Anyone who would willingly jump into an unknown dimension to save Kagome had his approval, even if it was reluctant. "And you faced down the evil in the jewel, wishing the one thing no one else would have thought of... for the jewel to disappear forever. Then you and Inuyasha were separated, sent to your different times."

She made a low noise of agreement. "Mama said that the well disappeared for three days, too, marking my stay in the jewel. Then, two days after I returned, we noticed the surveillance on the shrine."

"Well, the jewel is gone, correct? Never to return?"

She wanted to say yes, but... "The Shikon no Tama of legend is gone. But even back then, people tried replicating it."

He sat back. "Then I really don't think anyone outside S.H.I.E.L.D. should know, and they shouldn't hear everything. I'll talk to Thor about telling stories about your adventures, remind him you're too much temptation for certain politicians and military factions. If anyone asks you about the jewel or time-travel- which, by the way, is freaking awesome and I would be totally jealous if I didn't love my comfort so much- then clam up and send them to me."

She let out a huge, relieved sigh, and reached in her bag for a thick photo album. "Would you like to see pictures of them, otou-san?"

His jaw dropped. "You took a camera with you into the past?" He started cracking up at the mental visual of a tour bus full of photo-snapping Japanese roaming a medieval countryside. He finally calmed down, and accepted the album, an undefinable warmth invading his chest as she scooted closer to point things out.

The very first picture in the album was of a young man in faded red clothing with white hair that pooled on the ground below him. He was sitting against a tree, legs folded to support his arms, an old sword held in a ready pose, as if an attack could come at any moment.

But what captured Tony's full attention were the short, furry ears on the top of the boy's head. "Kagome? You weren't kidding were you? You're _certain_ your mother is fine with the fact your boyfriend's a dog?"


	33. Help!

Chapter Thirty-Three

_Help!_

* * *

_Puppy-eared_ grand_children?_ He felt faint at the thought. "So your mother has a thing for dog ears? Should I get her a chihuahua? It'll get you off the hook for ten years or so..."

Kagome giggled at his pale face. "Even if we weren't separated by time, I would have to fulfill my obligations to my family first. And everyone would think I'm a _yanki_ if I married before I turned twenty."

"Oh. Of course. I think I'm missing something... Yankee doesn't mean the same thing to you it does to me apparently. Did you know American women are putting off marriage till their thirties? Something to consider, since you're half American and all."

"A _yanki_ is a gang member, otou-san." That damnable glow surrounded her again, irritating him for some reason. Her eyes were bright, and she finally had a real smile on her face. "That's right, I'm _hafu_ now, like Inuyasha." She seemed strangely excited about being different.

"_Hafu_? Did you know you start glowing like a lightbulb when you start thinking of him? I'm not going to be able to take you anywhere without religious groups chasing after us." _I can't believe I'm getting jealous over the fact she shines for him..._

She looked at her shining hand in surprise. "Hafu is half-Japanese. I thought I glowed from the bow's power boost... maybe because thinking of him makes me happy?"

"So you haven't been happy, or you'd glow all the time?" The green monster got a little bigger.

"Saa. I miss my friends."

He finally _looked_ at her, the sad eyes, the quietness, the reserve... and he became ashamed of his jealousy. She was _grieving_. He thought of life without Pepper or even Bruce around and got a painful twist in his chest that had nothing to do with shrapnel or arc reactors. He felt worse with her next quiet admission.

"The fear still eats at me... it was dark, and there was no form. No place to stand or sit or lay; I floated in absolute darkness. It wasn't warm, it wasn't cool... and the only sound was the voice of the jewel as it taunted me. It told me I would be alone in the dark forever, separated from my family and friends, slowly fading from their memories."

She shivered, her face pale. "And though I am back with my family, I am separated by five centuries from my friends... and I'm too scared of ending up in the void again to dare the well."

He stood, and pulled her up, wrapping an arm around her. "I'll find some way to help you with the fear. That's what dads do, look out for their kids. At least that's what I hear. But for now let's think of something on the lighter side of life. I know the perfect thing to make you smile." He showed her the bracelets on his wrists. "The Mark 8 is ready for testing. Let's burst this bubble and go flying."

* * *

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Saa- a wonderful, all purpose noise that means 'maybe', 'I guess', 'I suppose', 'who knows?'.


	34. Here, There, Everywhere

Chapter Thirty-Four

_Here, There, Everywhere_

* * *

"So, how's that compare to a flying saber-tooth cat?" He smirked as he took in her bright eyes, flushed cheeks and brilliant smile.

"That was amazing. You're much faster, and she couldn't do corkscrews, though you do lose on cute and cuddly." She laughed when he began to pout.

He was fascinated by the change in her, and resolved to take her flying often. "You are the first person to enjoy flying with me. Pepper freaked out and Legolas was a stiff di- ah..."

"Planes are scarier, and you probably tried carrying them. Piggyback is easier." They walked into the house, Kagome teasing out the braid she'd done her hair in before they'd taken off.

"I know women that would kill to have your hair, but isn't the length a pain?"

She glanced over at him, before heading to the kitchen for a drink. "You remember Inuyasha's picture? His hair's almost knee-length. His pure-blooded elder brother's is almost ankle-length."

"So, a status thing? The higher the status, the longer the hair? Huh. I can't see me with long hair... it'd look like a heavy metal band gone bad."

She smiled at the thought. "Status and a mark of power. I'm following custom because I like the tradition, though I need at least another three-quarters meter." _At least, I'm hoping no more than that. If youkai still exist somewhere, though, it's only proper to warn them. Hair holds power reserves, which is why I may be stepping on it soon, thanks to Sesshoumaru breaking my seal and the return of my bow._

"Do we need to worry about people who've seen you use your power?" The quick change of subject threw her.

"Eh?" She considered the question as she grabbed a bottle of water and took a drink. "Maybe. My three best friends learned about my time traveling when the well disappeared. Last year I saved a child's ghost from hell; her mother might have mentioned the exorcism, since a hospital room was trashed and the bed thrown out the window. Er,-" she blushed, remembering how helpless she used to be, "there was also a possessed Noh mask that chased me through the neighborhood. There's probably footage of it devouring people earlier that day."

Tony wanted to bang his head against something. She wasn't going to be a discipline issue, she was going to be was a _willing_ trouble magnet; for a moment, he wished it was the other way. _God have mercy on me, though You have a distinctly skewed sense of humor._ "You're getting bodyguards."

"They could fend off humans, but they'd die against the supernatural. I need to be able to defend myself, tou-san."

Tony grumped, but she was right. And whatever his personal feelings, Natasha was the most highly trained person he knew, if she'd agree. "I know just the person to call. I'll start looking into ways to train your power, too... I'll just let everyone believe I'm collecting Shinto items to learn about your faith."

* * *

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Thanks to Ari-the-Writer, who's joined my crazy train of thought and demolished a case of writer's block.


	35. Run For Your Life

Chapter Thirty-Five

_Run For Your Life_

* * *

When they returned to New York several days later, there was a new lightness to Kagome's demeanor, Pepper was happy to see. She was told a little about Kagome's past, as she was one of the few Tony trusted absolutely, and was amazed at the teenager's accomplishments.

The school in Japan had emailed Kagome's transcripts, and Pepper had an idea she wanted to talk to Tony and Kagome about. "I'm sure that, while you did your best while you were _ill,_" she winked at her, "you needed a tutor as well as notes to explain the parts you had trouble with. The good news is that, unlike Japan, high school here is mandatory and you don't have to sit examinations to get in.

"With the danger you've been put in by the paparazzi, as well as your need of a crash course in English, any prep school we enroll you in will be happy to provide home study instructors. I've looked at your coursework as well, and I have little doubt you can test to a higher grade after a bit of catching up on American subjects. Have you ever had an I.Q. test?"

Kagome shook her head. "I was always in the top thirty until I got _sick,_ but I was never tested. The only subject I really have trouble in is math. I can memorize the formulas and do the calculations, but I can never remember what circumstances call for which formula." She shuddered, mumbling something about nightmares.

Tony drummed his fingers against his leg, Ozzy's _Crazy Train_ in his head as he mentally redesigned schematics. "I can help with that. One genius billionaire superhero dad at your homework disposal. Knowing you, Pepper, you've already scouted around and picked the best. Make it happen, get whatever tests she needs scheduled.

"Kagome, tell her your preferences. I'm going to go work on those changes we discussed. Watch the robots when you come down. Dummy's a bit quick to use the fire extinguisher and likes to follow people around." She looked perplexed. "Oh, you haven't met Dummy. I brought him here from the California house after I trashed it. You need to come down to the lab, I guarantee you've never seen anything like it."

"That's an easy guarantee. I've spent more time in the countryside than bothering with electronics."

"That's right, you're the track star. Pepper, you should see this girl. She ran the two-mile canyon track and was barely huffing when she got back."

"I did lots of running, walking, free-falling. I really missed flying the most, though." Kagome smiled at the memory, "I hope we can go again..."

"The new design." Pepper paled as she pieced it together. "You _flew,_ with her, in an _untested_ suit?!"

Kagome tried to reassure her. "It's okay, Pepper. It was fun and absolutely safe. I showed him a better way to carry a passenger-"

"Anthony Stark, you are not encouraging her to be a risk taker like you! I cannot believe-"


	36. Dear Wack!

Chapter Thirty-Six

_Dear Wack!_

* * *

"Scary," Kagome commented quietly after Pepper had stalked off, still ranting about immature jerks. "Got somewhere we can hide, tou-san?" Pepper's temper put her own to shame... she'd rather not press her luck any more today.

"Let's go play with my toys," he whispered loudly before grabbing her hand and pulling her gently to the elevator, humming the first bars of the _Mission Impossible_ theme. _It's fun having someone on my side, getting into trouble with me and not lecturing me about acting my age..._

When they entered the lab, JARVIS reminded him that Kagome only had visitor's clearance. Surprised he'd forgotten to fix that, Tony cleared her for entrance and basic equipment use, though most of the system would still remained locked to her. _I adore her, but I can't drop my guard just yet..._

He named off all his robots, happy to see her genuine curiosity as he told her what each did and when he made it. "Making robots and programming the A.I.s to run them is the fun part of what I do. JARVIS is my oldest A.I., which is why he has so much personality. I actually got a butler who'd served the royal family to help me program his manners. He had a sex change then too... The butler firmly recommended the retirement of the woman's voice he had to a bordello." _And once again I forget I'm talking to my teenage_ daughter_..._

She grinned, "You know, you could use tearoom instead of bordello... we dragged Miroku out of those several times." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Those women were disturbing... blackened teeth, faces painted with white lead, eyebrows plucked and painted on halfway up their forehead..."

He made a noise of disgust at her descriptions.

She suddenly smiled a little, remembering her sister of the heart. "When Sango joined us he finally stopped visiting them. She's the one who really got me hooked on flying. She'd have Kirara take us up and show me how to do all sorts of flying mounts, dismounts, and trick moves. It was even better than Inuyasha's gliding, and a thousand times more fun than clinging to Sesshoumaru's mokomoko during the last battle..."

"Wait just a minute, that's the brother that tried to kill you? What were you thinking?"

"He'd changed, even saved my life before. Plus, we were inside Naraku's body and I couldn't get where I was needed without a lift. He still considered me a weakness, though. He always pushed his brother, saying Inuyasha had to become stronger, that it was their destiny to be warriors. He insisted it was their only purpose in life, and glanced at me when he said it."

"Why would he do that?"

She gave an open-fingered wave. "I'm not sure. Myouga-jii-chan, Inuyasha's flea-youkai vassal, said Sesshoumaru followed the path of Supreme Conquest, and felt that caring for someone made you soft."

Tony paused, considering what she'd said so matter-of-factly, and started sniggering. "A dog... with fleas for servants?"


	37. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

Chapter Thirty-Seven

_Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds_

* * *

After he'd recovered, though he still had the occasional chuckle that got loose, he brought up the other part of the discussion that had intrigued him. "So this Sesshoumaru guy was like Loki? You're nothing more than the ants beneath my feet but I'll take over the world and rule you anyways?"

She shook her head, trying not to think of Sesshoumaru's reaction to the comparison. "No, he would have despised Loki from what I've heard about him. Using power that's not yours proves you are weak. Sesshoumaru rejected _his_ father's legacy to follow the Path of Supreme Conquest, an old _dō_ that proposes the hardest person to beat is yourself. Therefore, to be able to conquer the world, you must first conquer yourself. Sesshoumaru spent his life wandering, looking for strong opponents to battle, searching for the limits of his power."

"Hunh. We wouldn't have gotten along, then. I had this lesson pounded into my head, and I'm going to pound it into yours. A legacy is something to be taken care of, no matter how you felt about the one leaving it. Those who work for you are your responsibility, no matter if the stocks are up or down."

She shivered at the thought of wise-cracking Tony meeting a malevolent Sesshoumaru... she vividly remembered the scent of Dokkasou and being entombed in acid melted bone. "I know my responsibilities to my family, otou-san."

He frowned slightly at her return to formality. "I know, you're almost too responsible. I want you to start living a little. Have fun, make friends, get tickets for driving too fast... do something teenagerish. Except the sex thing, be old-fashioned and responsible there."

"Tou-san!" She flushed a deep red.

He laughed at her. "Do you think Sesshoumaru ever succeeded in his quest?"

She curled her legs under her. "I hope he changed his goal. His father tried to teach him that power is nothing without something to protect. Sesshoumaru had a little human girl that followed him; I think he was learning that lesson from her. I hope he did. He despised his brother for so many years... all because Sesshoumaru blamed Inuyasha for stealing his chance to defeat their father."

"I thought you didn't have that much contact with Sesshoumaru?"

"I learned most of this from Myouga on the anniversary of the General's death. He told me a lot about the whole family. According to him, the Great General was the most respected warrior of his time until he took a human wife, a fifth rank princess from the Setsuna clan. He wrote to her, 'My sword can cut flesh, kill indiscriminately, lay waste to armies. But I have a sharper blade; honed to perfection by you.'

"Sesshoumaru probably never paid much attention his father's poetry, and even if he did," she grinned mischievously, "he was _terrible_ at solving puzzles. It took almost a century for him to figure out where Tessaiga was hidden simply because the directions were hidden in a riddle.

* * *

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A tanka for Izayoi, because I love writing poetry.

_Dō-_ loosely, a way of life- i.e. Cha-_dō_, the way of tea, Ken-_dō_, the way of the sword. It encompasses not only the rules for the _way_, but the philosophy behind it and how its believers should interact with and perceive the world.

Sesshoumaru did turn his back on his father's legacy. When the other youkai asked him to take his father's place as the Inu no Tashio and lead them to battle, he refused. Of course, being of contrary disposition, he then went after the Panther Divas alone.


	38. Glass Onion

Chapter Thirty-Eight

_Glass Onion_

* * *

The next day, Tony was arguing with Kagome over a passenger grip when JARVIS announced a visitor. "Sir, Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes is here."

"Rhodie? Tell him to come down. Wait till you meet this guy, Kagome. He's one of the few friends I've had since college, though he is sadly _devoted_ to the military." _And didn't learning that sting. I never thought he'd put them above our friendship as much as he has this past year. If he's after her... I don't think our friendship will survive._

Thanks to Tony's love of glass walls, Kagome saw him as he came down the hall, recognizing him before he saw her. She ducked behind a robot and moved quickly and silently over to his desk. Seeing the strange look she was getting, she stage-whispered "He was at the shrine the day before we left."

_Oh shit._ "Hide in the supply room-the door on your left. I'll find out what he was doing there." He quickly strode out to the hallway. "Rhodie! What brings you here, so far from your base sweet base? Its been what, six months or so? Since right after the Vanko mess, I think. You don't call, you don't write. You just banged up the bad guy and vanished into the sunset."

"You haven't seen me because you're not a weapons contractor anymore. Plus there's the fallout from you and your friends' little Manhattan party." The military man smiled hugely and pulled Tony into a backslapping hug. "I hear congratulations are in order, though I'm hurt I had to find out by TV. She's a beauty."

"Damn. Sorry Rhodie. Things have been a bit hectic. I just found out about her and already we're fighting off the vultures." Hoping Kagome had slipped out already, he followed Rhodie back into the lab. "But she's a fantastic girl. I wish mom could've met her. Kagome doesn't so much _look_ like her so much as she _acts_ like her. It's like having a bit of mom around, except Kagome doesn't mind getting into trouble with me."

"Sounds like you lucked out again. So, when am I going to meet her? Is she living with you?" He dragged a chair over to Tony's desk and kicked back, apparently off work for the day.

"She's around, hiding somewhere. Pepper's wrath refuses to be appeased." He rolled his eyes.

"I ran into her upstairs and I'd stay hidden if I were you two. What did you do to piss her off so badly? She sounded like a thunder cloud so I made tracks before she struck." Rhodie stretched out in the chair, entertained by his friend being in the doghouse yet again.

Tony shrugged. He'd charm her out of her moodiness eventually. "She got a little... well, a bit more than little... upset... that Kagome helped me test the Mark 8. She's overreacting, doing the momma bear thing-"

Rhodie was flabbergasted. "You did not just tell me you tested a weapon with your teenage daughter."

* * *

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There's a reason Pepper and Rhodie get along so well... they're like two peas in a pod when it comes to wrangling Tony.

Did anyone else catch that Rhodie was a Colonel in IM1 and a Lieutenant Colonel in IM2? What's with the demotion? Then he's a Colonel again in IM3... continuity, people!

I've spelled his nickname the way it's spelled in IM2's credits... seeing as this story is happening right after the Avengers and before IM3.


	39. Don't Let Me Down

Chapter Thirty-Nine

_Don't Let Me Down_

* * *

Tony pouted and whined, "No one has any faith in me! I tested a high-tech _prosthesis_ with my teenage daughter and got some really great feedback, even learned a better way to transport people."

Rhodie slapped his hands over his face and groaned. He never knew what ill-advised mess Tony was going to land him in from one moment to the next. "I would've never thought of you as the father of a teenage _girl_, and this is why. Next you're going to tell me you're building a suit for her."

"You know, I hadn't thought about that. That would be better than a car... she's cool with speed." Designs immediately began percolating in his head, piquing his interest.

Outraged at even the thought of Tony giving a teenager something he'd denied the military, he began reading him the riot act. "Tony, you cannot give your daughter a suit! Washington would go ballistic-"

He laughed. Although it was an interesting idea, it wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Rhodie was simply gullible enough to be fun to mess with. "Rhodie, please. I haven't known her that long. She gets some passes because she's blood, but she hasn't got my full trust quite yet."

"So you're still the same old Tony Stark, we're just adding Dad to the end? "

"I'm the same _extraordinary_ Tony Stark, Genius Billionaire Superhero Philanthropist Dad, thank you very much. And she's much better than a boy would be... Hey, random thought. I've surpassed Batman! He can't keep his girl, Pepper loves me; I've got a cool A.I., he's got an old dude; he has an orphan ward, I've got a stupendous daughter. She could probably kick Robin's butt, too."

"I worry when you start comparing your life to comic books." Rhodie shook his head. "Why do you think she could beat Robin, anyway? She part of a circus act, or is she into radioactive spiders?"

Tony felt cautiously optimistic. Rhodie wasn't acting like he had a secret or was after something, making him feel a bit better. The spider comment worried him slightly, though, so he was going to be very careful letting his friend and his daughter meet.

"No spiders I know of, though you're mixing your comics. She does do an obscure form of martial arts, and is really athletic, though I've not a clue where she got the aptitude. No Stark I knew of was athletic outside of a bedroom... and praise every deity out there that she's nothing like me in that area."

"Maybe the energy has to be funneled elsewhere, if she doesn't take after you in that way?" Rhodie conjectured, silently thanking the Lord that he wasn't going to be dealing with a second Tony.

"Maybe you're right. You won't believe this. She ran the canyon in twelve minutes and change cross-country, nine minutes on the path." He knew that would get him going. Rhodie always bragged on his cross-country times.

"Wait, twelve and change? She broke my record?!"


	40. Searchin'

Chapter Forty

_Searchin'_

* * *

After messing with Rhodie some more, he got a little more serious about finding out why he'd been in Japan. "So, been anywhere interesting lately? It's not often you're called away so long." He watched carefully for the tells he'd long ago memorized. He hated suspecting one of his few friends, but unfortunately wealth made for cynical relationships. It was going to be one of the worst lessons Kagome would have to learn.

That got a reaction. "Tony, you're the one who stopped working with the military. You don't need a liaison if you aren't producing weapons for us anymore."

"You're telling me the government isn't interested in self-sustaining energy sources?" He watched carefully, but caught nothing out of the ordinary. _I really hope he isn't a part of this._

"That's a different branch entirely. And yes, I did do something interesting. We had a meeting in Tokyo that was delayed for a day, so I did some sightseeing. Went around a bunch of shrines and temples, talked to a few folks to get their take on the alien invasion. It was strange, they all just accepted it as fact and went on with what they were doing. One old shrinekeeper told me if demons exist, why shouldn't aliens? Weird. Who still believes in demons anymore?"

"I wouldn't know. I've met Thor, who was as close to a demigod as I can imagine, but unless Stern's hiding a forked tail in his pants, I can't claim to have ever met a demon." Now he was concerned. He'd bet Rhodie's demons were Kagome's youkai. Why would Rhodie do something so out of character as visiting religious centers?

"What's with the religious bent? I'm not going to see you in an airport shaved bald and wearing a bedsheet anytime soon, am I? Although, I'd be happy to take your picture for future blackmail opportunities."

"Nah. It's just, all these changes- aliens and such- have me wondering. Especially when those who believe in a higher power are taking the changes better than the rest of us, it seems."

JARVIS interrupted them. "Sir, I have Director Fury on the line. He wishes to meet with you tonight on an urgent matter. Shall I set a time for him to come by?"

Grumbling at the interruption, he groused out, "Fine. Eight tonight, L'Heure Blu. He can pick up the tab."

"Yes, sir. He will be waiting for you there. How many should I call in a reservation for?"

Tony huffed, unhappy at being pulled away from home for once. "Just two. No need to bore Pepper and Kagome. Make sure to reserve a private table."

"Who's Fury?" Rhodie asked as JARVIS went silent. "I don't think I've heard of him."

_Ugh, more cover-ups._ "He's in one of those alphabet agencies that _are_ interested in arc reactor technology, and is impressed with being the director of said division. I might drown in my soup tonight for kicks. Are you sure you can't be my liaison anymore?"


	41. Misery

Chapter Forty-One

_Misery_

* * *

Tony hurried back to the supply room after getting rid of Rhodie. "Kagome? You still in here... oh. I'd forgotten about that." He looked around the room that he'd gone ballistic in one day. "I, uh."

She looked at him from her seat on the floor, the look in her eyes strangely knowing. "You were losing it but didn't want to hurt anyone. I recognize the feeling. You should have seen the well shrine when I lost it... only I had to clean it up, ask forgiveness for desecrating a shrine, and bless it again."

"That makes me glad supply rooms are normally blessing free, 'cause I think that I'd be incinerated if I tried that." She held up a hand before he could keep going.

"I haven't paid attention to world news until recently. Mama showed me newspaper clippings, but they didn't do more than speculate. Would you tell me what really happened to you the past couple of years?" She looked at him through the fall of her raven's wing hair, eyes emphasized by the dark strands.

"You are beautiful, you know? If I didn't know what people would try, I'd tell you to take some modeling jobs."

She flushed, shoving her hair behind her ear. "Thank you? I think?"

"I don't talk about it much... so it's a bit difficult to speak of." She simply nodded, eyes steady on him. He swallowed, as memories of his mother flooded his mind. _It's hard to trust, but she's so like her..._ "You are very like your grandmother, you know. I wish you could have met her, except I would have been screwed with two of you watching me."

He sat down beside her, still heartsore from Obadiah's betrayal. "I'm not looking forward to you learning this lesson, but you will. Money brings out the worst in everybody, especially those closest to you. I was betrayed by a man I had more respect for than I did my own father. He'd been there for me since dad's death, thirty years or better, until he decided my assets were worth more than I was. He hired a terrorist group to kill me and the soldiers escorting me." He swallowed, remembering those last few carefree minutes of their lives.

She reached for his hand. "It's terrible, having someone die because of you. _He_ had a daughter of sorts, though he never allowed her free will. He set her against us and abandoned her. I begged her to stop, told her she didn't have to die, but she was bound to his purpose. She was so surprised when I cried for her, astonished someone could care for her. I'm glad she had that bit of happiness before she died."

He tilted his head back, eyes reddened. "I didn't think about that... that their last moments were spent laughing." He gave a short bark of a laugh. "I even hit on the woman driving... she said she was proud to call herself an airman."


	42. There's A Place

Chapter Forty-Two

_There's A Place_

* * *

_I had to have a lech for a father..._ "I'm not surprised. Miroku would have idolized you. He had a wandering hand he claimed was cursed, and asked every pretty woman he met to bear his child. I can't count the number of times we were pulled into trouble because of gorgeous women who turned out to be youkai in disguise."

She was amused by the scowl on Tony's face, knowing his reputation. "Yes, even me. But he stopped after Inuyasha threatened to remove his need for a child. And once he saw how easily I purified even the most tainted shards, he began addressing me with a very respectful 'sama'. Still had to watch his wandering hand, though."

"I'm beginning to like this guy of yours, even if I can't give him the irate father lecture. Or threaten him with Iron Man."

She cut a quick glance over to him. _Should I tell him Inuyasha wouldn't be impressed with Iron Man?_

_I can't believe I'm about to ask her about such a dark subject... but she'd know if anyone would. I still can't imagine all she went through this past year._ "Hey, in your travels, did you ever meet someone happy to die? The man who put an electromagnet in my chest, he was intelligent, spoke more languages than I can remember, refused to let me give up, and then deliberately got himself killed because he missed his family. But there was a smile on his face. Do you think his family was really waiting on the other side?"

She _hmmed_, not wishing to speak about it. Her experiences with the next life tended to land her in various dimensions of hell, a place she hoped her soul would never see again.

"That's a suspicious not answer. Kagome-"

"Yes, I knew someone who found happiness in death. She was young and willful, wanting to be free as the wind. Her heart was held hostage," she lifted her eyebrow and nodded to let him know she wasn't using a euphemism, "to control her. She hated it, and worked against it's captor whenever she could... until one day he gave her heart back, poisoning her at the same time. I saw her just as she died. She was smiling- because even though she was dying, she was free and the one she loved was standing beside her."

"I'm glad that bastard's dead, it makes me sick that you had to deal with him. Now what did he do to you that you saw the other side?"

"I've never seen your friend's other side, that I remember at least. But I believe it could exist."

He looked at her critically. "Your mom is right, you are _almost_ as good as me with soft answers... but I've got nearly twenty years on you. Consider me the Yoda of bullshit, and trust me, young apprentice, you've got a long way to go before you can match my experience with the force. Now spill."


	43. Helter Skelter

Chapter Forty-Three

_Helter Skelter_

* * *

She really didn't want to speak of hell, but by the look on his face, he wasn't going to let it go. She contemplated her hands for a while, trying to deal with the dark, painful memories of Hitomiko and the time she'd spent in that terrible place.

Tony was about to interrupt whatever deep thoughts she had lost herself in when she finally spoke again. "He trapped me with a priestess, who had become a monster when she'd been resurrected from the dead, and instructed her to kill me. Honestly, though, it really didn't matter to him if she killed me or diminished my power by making me impure, either way he would win and the world would be covered in his darkness."

"What do you mean by 'making you impure'? Was she supposed to kill you or fuc-ugh!" He recoiled at what he had almost said, face in a rictus of disgust.

She glared at him, wishing she could erase that sickening mental image. "Giving into the sway of negative emotions or killing an innocent makes me ritually impure, o-tou-san." She crisply divided the syllables, completely embarrassed. "Leave it to a pervert to think of that." She could feel the burn of the blush on her cheeks getting deeper. _Why did my father have to be a lecher?!_

"Sorry, sorry, don't purify me. I like being impure, Pepper wouldn't know what to do with me if I turned into Captain America. _I_ wouldn't know what to do with myself if I turned into Captain America. Probably hang myself with those tights."

"Tou-san! There's nothing wrong with being polite like Captain Rogers!"

"Polite? He's a guileless little goody-two-shoes!" He started chuckling at her, as fading embarrassment clashed with anger. "What came next, if she didn't have her way with you?"

She turned away from him, her cheeks an incandescent red. "She was unimpressed by my power, and told me it was borrowed; wondering why he worried about me. But eventually she pulled us into hell, where her soul burned."

He paled, a knot forming in his throat. "You mean the fire and brimstone, burn your soul forever kind of hell?" _Oh God, how did she deal with all this at fifteen? So many times I almost lost her before I knew her..._

She solemnly nodded, "If a miko becomes a youkai, her soul burns in hell for eternity. We cannot abandon our humanity, or turn our backs on our powers.

"It was the perfect trap. If I killed her, the regret I felt at saving myself at her soul's expense would taint me. If I did not kill her, I would be left in hell. But though she had become a monster, she still used her contemptuous words to teach me how to save us both..." She trailed off, and he refused to push any more.

"You are most definitely a Stark. Tell us we can't do something, and we'll go out of our way to prove you wrong."


	44. March Of The Meanies

Chapter Forty-Four

_March Of The Meanies_

* * *

"Why should I bother choosing ties and watches? This way I get to brag on my fashionable daughter," he responded to her huff of exasperation. "I shouldn't be gone more than a couple of hours, and Pepper and Thor are in the tower somewhere. JARVIS will know exactly where."

"Quite so, sir. Enjoy your meal. Miss Kagome, would you like to resume where we left off?"

"Bye, tou-san." She gave him a wave and walked off, talking rapidly to JARVIS in Japanese.

"Okay, my A.I. prefers my daughter to me and I'm stuck with Fury tonight. Perfectly sucky evening, check."

~oOo~

Twenty minutes after Tony left, JARVIS relayed a message to Kagome. "Miss Potts has been called to one of the factories; their emergency beacon was set off. She said she'll be back later tonight."

"Thank you, JARVIS." She put aside the lesson he'd outlined for her and went to the kitchen to find supper, moaning in dismay at the numerous liquor bottles and distinct lack of food.

"Miss, I can order anything you like. You are authorized to use the petty cash fund and have your own account. I believe Miss Potts was going to tell you about it tonight."

~oOo~

When she asked Thor what he wanted for supper, he had a list of dishes neither JARVIS nor Kagome had heard of. She finally threw up her hands. "Why don't we order a bit from several places? Thor-sama eats a lot, and if there are leftovers, they can be breakfast."

A great deal of laughter ensued as they called the ten top restaurants listed by the A.I. and ordered whatever was recommended. The staring contests between the delivery men whenever several showed up at once were even more entertaining.

Rumors of a takeout critic began circulating among chefs that night.

~oOo~

Kagome finished well before Thor, though his steady consumption of large quantities of food never affected his tales of Asgard. She was entranced by the far-off planet, and the mix of technology and magic (since a better word couldn't be found) they used. Thor had training suggestions for her too, and approved of her constant contact with her bow. It had caused trouble at airports occasionally, and only the fact she was on a private plane saved it from being confiscated a couple of times.

Thanks to her smaller appetite, the two slices of red velvet cheesecake went to Thor.

~oOo~

She wasn't surprised when Thor fell asleep after dinner, as he had eaten about eighty percent of the food. However, when the lights went off and JARVIS barely got a word of warning out before being cut, she went on full alert. Thor was out cold, so someone had tainted the food en route. Thankfully, Tony had learned from Fury's hacking, designing her handheld to connect to multiple independent servers, which prevented JARVIS from being locked out. Sending a quick message to her father, she reached for her bow and decided to make the intruder pay for ruining her evening.

* * *

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Being an old techie, I've always wondered why there were no backup procedures, redundancies, or alarms for JARVIS. Fury shouldn't have been able to take down the A.I. of a paranoid genius so completely.


	45. Blackbird

Chapter Forty-Five

_Blackbird_

* * *

Tony joined the S.H.I.E.L.D. director at the private table JARVIS had reserved, and decided to mess with him a bit for cutting his evening with Kagome short. "You didn't pick me up, there's no flowers. I feel bad for Thor. Or is your plus one the man of the house?"

Fury bit into his breadstick as soon as Tony opened his mouth, and waited for the man to get it out of his system. "And how is _your_ plus one? Have you found out what Thor was talking about?"

"Thor talks about anything and everything under the sun. I make a point of _not_ listening to his ramblings, so you'll need to be more specific in your request."

"Was she imprisoned in the void? Has she been to different dimensions? How does her power work? In other words, plain and simple, is your daughter a threat?"

"Okay, I'll tell you this once. Insinuate my daughter would do anything against humanity again, and I will hunt you to the ends of the earth. You have no idea what she's been through, all for the good of people who don't even know she exists." The billionaire's eyes were burning, and Fury understood the danger in pushing any buttons just now.

"All right then. Why don't you tell me about her adventures?"

"Because I don't want information on her in your incredibly easy to hack computer system. I will tell _you_, in a place of my choosing, _if_ you promise not to put it on record."

"Is it that dangerous, Tony? You know you're putting me between a rock and hard place."

"It's only dangerous for her. Believe me, if she were planning something against this country, I would hand her over in a heartbeat. I'm growing fonder by the day, but the fact remains that I am not a trusting soul. Hell, I just found out today Rhodie'd been to her house the day before she left, so now I've got eyes on him."

"That's rough. I do have some news for you though."

Tony lifted a brow.

"The folks who were watching the shrine were my Japanese counterpart. They wanted the item Thor mentioned as being 'filled with her soul-light'."

"It's gone."

"Gone?"

"Gone. No longer in existence. Ended. Eradicated. Erased. Eliminated. Wow, lots of 'e's there. But, yeah. It was seriously evil and now its gone and never coming back. Maybe I'll find that medal the President gave me and pin it on her. She deserves it more."

Fury's lip quirked. "It will be... satisfying to tell them that. Iwamoto is an asshole and a half. But he seems to think that even if the legend of it's destruction was real, she knows how to make another one."

"Tell me, Nick," Tony sat back in the chair and pinned the big man with intense dark eyes. "How in sync are you with your council members? What would you consider acceptable losses in your quest for the next great nuclear deterrent?"

* * *

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Tony uses the "nuclear deterrent" phrase in IM1 and 2, and in the Avengers.

A nod to YYH. Iwamoto was the teacher that kept trying to get the boys expelled.

I'm a Hitchcock fan... the watchers were a total McGuffin.


	46. A Day In The Life

Chapter Forty-Six

_A Day In The Life_

* * *

Kagome ducked around the corner, wishing she had real arrows. Spirit arrows did very little against human foes. Thankfully, what was creeping around outside gave off a very definite jyaki signature.

She kept an eye on Thor, not knowing the size of the youkai stalking them. If it could make a puppet of the Asgard prince, she would be in serious trouble. There was a noise from the deck, but she couldn't see out, so she refused to shoot and give away her position. The horrid sound of claws against glass made a shiver go down her back.

"Priestess," a sepulchral voice called. She lifted an eyebrow. Apparently modern youkai bought into hokie horror movie spiels. She'd seen so much worse that she couldn't sit through one anymore without laughing constantly. Souta had banned her from scary movie night months ago.

"Give up the jewel, and no one gets hurt. Otherwise, your boyfriend's going to provide supper and entertainment."

She was wrong, then. Youma, not youkai. Not that it really mattered, villain's speeches were rather uniform: excruciatingly boring to listen to. She gave up on hiding and came around the corner. "You, youma-san, are a fool. It was destroyed along with the hanyou that wanted it centuries ago. And the whole 'intimidating and scary presence in the dark' ploy just tells me you are young and weak. I'll tell you this once to leave."

"Such brave words, you stupid bitch. Now surfer boy's going to be dinner and a movie."

~oOo~

Fury sat back in his chair, considering Tony's words carefully. There was a lot of information in them if you listened. In fact, he could immediately tell it _was_ possible to remake the jewel... but only with Kagome's knowledge. Not one of his preferred courses of action. "To bring back something 'seriously evil'? If it requires even one innocent life, I'm not interested in hearing about it."

Tony analyzed Fury's body language, his sharp eyes catching every twitch, every respiration. Finally, satisfied with what he saw, he nodded. "Good to know. I'll keep that in mind-" The rapid declension of peppy tones had him grabbing for his handheld. Quickly reading the alerts from JARVIS, Kagome, and security, he shoved back and got up.

"The penthouse and a factory are under attack. Kagome's at home with Thor, says they've got it under control. Pepper was called to the factory with a false alarm, she doesn't have anyone with her." He tossed a wad of bills on the table and started for the door. "I'm going for Pepper-"

"I'll send Clint to Kagome. Thor probably has everything in hand, but better safe than sorry. Do you need a lift?" Fury texted instructions to Hawkeye and Natasha as they ran to their cars.

"Nope." Tony pressed the signal beacon on his bracelets as they broke into the parking garage. The trunk of his Porsche popped open, and the Mark 8 activated. A minute later, he blasted off, heading for the Harbor Industrial complex.

* * *

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Congratulations to kokoronagomu for catching one of my little secrets. Nothing to do with plot, just a little something I was waiting for someone to catch on to.


	47. A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues

Chapter Forty-Seven

_A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues_

* * *

Kagome warily watched the bulky-muscled youma as he broke in. She drew, spirit arrow forming quickly. The elevator bell dinged just as she released, startling her, and the youkai dodged her arrow easily. She immediately moved to put a wall behind her, unsure if more enemies were showing up.

Hawkeye stepped out of the elevator, reading the situation in a moment. The distraction he'd inadvertently provided had allowed the menacing looking freak to grab Thor. Tribal tattoos on it's face and arms gave it a wild look, the gravity-defying hair and cat-slit eyes sinister when taken with the long, sharp canines in the grinning mouth. Taking it for someone with a body modification fetish, Barton dashed to Kagome's side, pulling an arrow out and shooting.

It caught the arrow, snapping it before throwing it to the side and laughing at the marksman. "Foolish human, like your puny arrow can harm me. So, what are you going to do now, priestess? I've got your blondie boy toy-"

As Hawkeye swore at the youma's speed and agility, Kagome stole an arrow from his quiver, surprising the marksman at her audacity. He watched, impressed with her speed, as she nocked it then drew the longbow faster than he could draw his compound bow, holy fire blazing around the arrow.

The youma jerked Thor in front of him, long sharp claws at his neck. "Go ahead, bitch. I wonder, which of us will kill him first?"

Barton put his hand on her arm to stop her, fouling her aim yet again. "Release me if you want him alive and removed from the menu," she hissed. "I know what I'm doing!"

"Ooh, she's a cold-hearted cunt. Shooting her-"

The blazing arrow was released, winking out of existence right before it hit Thor. The confused youma grunted, dropping the godling and looking down. He tried to figure out how he'd gotten an arrow through his heart; dying brain unable to comprehend events. "How? A mere human..."

His body turned to dust, leaving Hawkeye speechless.

Kagome immediately swept the area with her senses, finding no more youki or jyaki signatures. Safe for now, she dashed to Thor. Checking his carotid pulse, she was relieved to find it strong and steady, his body not showing any distress. "Probably a sleeping potion," she mumbled.

Turning to Clint, she asked for help moving him to the couch, assuring him there wasn't anyone else around. "No one can hide their aura from me, I promise."

Taking her word, he finally got the room to ask some of the questions that were bugging him. "What the heck was that thing, and what's wrong with Thor?" he asked as the two of them hefted the sleeping prince one last time.

"Youma, a weak one at that. Youkai despise them, since they consume humans to gain energy. Thor is fine, but I want to check him carefully. A sleeping potion just has to run its course, I'm more worried about curses or puppetry strings."

* * *

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I reference earlier chapters throughout the whole story, folks! Have you guys forgotten what the gossip channels are saying about Thome? It's been less than two weeks in the story since then... and two doses of sleeping potion plus a huge meal? Thor easily fell asleep.


	48. Get Back

Chapter Forty-Eight

_Get Back_

* * *

"You lost me at 'youma'," he said, wondering why the backup generators hadn't kicked in yet. "Do you have a link to JARVIS?"

She absently gave him her handheld, occupied with checking the godling for curse marks or spirit bindings.

Clint hacked in and triggered the generators, then emailed an all clear to Fury and Tony just as the lights came back on and JARVIS began going through his startup protocols. Hearing the rustle of fabric, he looked over to the girl who was carefully inspecting Thor's torso now. "What are you looking for?"

She gave a long monologue in Japanese, and JARVIS wryly condensed it. "Miss Kagome is looking for marks that would show if he was under any outside compulsions. His spirit is clean, but she needs to check for physical marks, at least where she can."

She exclaimed and pulled Clint closer. "See?" she asked. "Like a picture on skin."

He looked closely and saw a small fang, like a tattoo. "That's a curse mark?"

"No," she shook her head. "Puppet anchor. He can be forced to fight against us, and whoever has entrapped him will know everything Thor-sama hears." She looked at him seriously. "He needs to be checked _every_where." She bit her lip, hoping he would get her meaning. When he nodded and shooed her away, she gratefully let him work. _It is so nice working with intelligent people._

Twenty minutes later, he snapped a photo of the last one and she began burning them off. He watched, fascinated, as the little tattoos vanished in a wisp of darkness with a mere touch of her fingers. Obviously this Miko/Warrior of Light business Thor had gone on about was true, and she had skills he'd never dreamed of.

Curious now, he asked about her earlier shot. "How did you do that disappearing arrow trick? I learned from the best in the business, but haven't seen anything like that before."

"It's a spiritual technique I learned from my bow."

"From your bow? Sorry, but that seems a bit-" He tapered off. If he'd learned anything from recent events, it was not to underestimate objects of power.

She smiled. "My bow is not ordinary. It was given to me after I was tried by a mountain kami. It is... aware, and passes knowledge to me as I need it, or I meet requirements."

He quickly assessed her truthfulness and sighed. "Would've been a useful technique, especially for hostage takers."

"Only if they were _other_," she told him, deciding to trust him with this much. "I was made by the gods to protect humanity."

He caught the inference. "Doesn't that leave you in a bind? Ordinary people are just as likely to hurt you."

"My countrymen respect the office, even if they don't believe in the power." She shrugged. "It doesn't change what I am, or my duties. The gods have purpose in all they do." _And someday, I'll figure out why their hands rest so heavily on me._

* * *

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Next chapter, fire up the soundtrack. _Shoot to Thrill _by AC/DC.


	49. A Hard Day's Night

Chapter Forty-Nine

_A Hard Day's Night_

* * *

Tony landed outside the factory several minutes later, amid the confusion and bustle of responders from the police, fire department, bomb squad, and paramedics. A cop immediately came his way, pushing through the confusion.

"Mr. Stark, a series of blasts has destabilized the building. However, there are a group of people on the roof who are holding a woman identified as your CEO, Pepper Potts, hostage. They're demanding either some unknown jewel, or for your daughter to trade herself for Ms. Potts."

Anger just made him colder. "Bastards hit my penthouse ten minutes ago. They must have planned this, though I don't know why they think I'd trade one for the other." He surveyed the building, worried about the imminent collapse JARVIS calculated.

The cop made a series of quick notes. "Is there a chance the hostage negotiators could stall for time with this jewel they want?"

"Sure. Tell 'em Superman's bringing it from Krypton, one exists just as much as the other does. I'm going to get Pepper back." Activating his thrusters, he gained enough altitude to scan the roof.

"Sir, a message from Agent Barton." JARVIS reported as the A.I. looked for heat signatures_._ "Thor is out of action, but Miss Kagome killed the intruder. 'Dusted' is the word he used."

"Damn, she can even outlast Thor in a fight? Blondie's 0 for 2." Catching sight of a moving shadow where one shouldn't be, he thought of the helicarrier's camouflage and blasted after it, pulling a snatch and grab.

Several blows hit his mask, but his opponent learned quickly how futile that was. Tony winced at the shriek of metal as five huge rents scored the chestpiece, titanium shredding as easily as paper. He began aiming punches where he estimated a head was until he felt the body go limp. Its camouflage faded and Tony stared down at something that looked remarkably like Bast, the cat goddess of Egypt. _What the hell am I going to do with a goddamn mythological creature?_

Landing on the roof, he called out to the other people stationed up here. "I've knocked out your little cat monster thing. Send Pepper out, unharmed, and you can have your pet pussy back. Otherwise the press is going to have a field day with illegal genetic experiments running about."

A teenager walked into view, black and white hair shaved into a narrow strip running down his skull and caught into a horsetail. He had black kanji tattooed in rows down the left side of his face, and a single red one on the right, just above the lip like a beauty mark.

"Go ahead, and we'll tell the world about the Shikon no Tama and the miko bitch's power. Think she'll have an easy life once people learn what a freak she is?"

"Anyone tell you how easy it is to read you, Primer Boy? But, hey, that's what happens when you fall asleep on the newspaper and drool."

Ink-face cracked his knuckles, and attacked.


	50. Just A Rumor

Chapter Fifty

_Just A Rumor_

* * *

The body he was holding may have been his bargaining tool, but the son of a bitch in front of him almost moved faster than his suit could track. He pulled a move he'd seen in westerns as a kid and threw the cat at Skunky. When the speedy little asshole hit the unconscious guy over the side of the roof, Tony got the hint.

"No honor among thieves, Doodle Boy? Can't say as I'd blame you. Be one hell of a litter box to clean. Still, I'd like to know why a punk kid would know anything about a cursed chunk of crystal that was destroyed five centuries ago, much less want to annoy my daughter about it. She _can_ kick your ass, you know. The whole daughter of a superhero schtick."

"Rumors are circulating about a jewel that grants wishes. And I'm not worried about the bitch. Goro's taking real good care of her." The kid went flashing by him again, causing major damage to the left shoulder piece.

_Dammit, what_ are _these guys that they can rip through titanium alloy like it's aluminum?_ "Goro? You've got to be kidding me, ripping off a classic like _Mortal Kombat_ for your little fantasy club. And that pathetic wannabe is nothing but ash in my vacuum cleaner now. I guess I could give you the bag to cry over, but you've really pissed me off."

Hatred passed through those inhuman eyes. "Then we'll just see how well she fends off a god." He made several quick movements with his hands, only to finish and glance at them in confusion.

"Finished playing patty cake with yourself yet? Because it's past time for me to kick your ass so I can go home and throw your buddy out with the trash." Tony sent off several blasts with his hands, and peppered him with shot from his right shoulder mount. One blast from his hands hit the kid dead on and slammed him into the vent housing.

Asswipe peeled himself out of the metal and wiped the blood from his mouth. "Just wait, Tin Man. If she doesn't have the real thing, she'll still know how to make another. Someone will shake that from her, just wait and see."

"It won't be you." Tony took aim almost point blank and blasted him, obliterating his head.

"Sir, Ms. Potts is in the next casing. You might take care with your aim."

Tony pulled off the helmet, looking at the mess splattered along the roof. "What? Why didn't you tell me that before? I could have toasted her chasing this guy down."

He turned from the carnage and genially kept the argument up with JARVIS as he ripped the door off its hinges and pulled Pepper into his arms. Heaving a heartfelt sigh, he held her close while she complained about how her only worry used to be his contracting a fatal STD and how life with him was dangerous enough to require hazard pay.


	51. In My Life

Chapter Fifty-One

_In My Life_

* * *

Natasha and Fury were the next to show up at the penthouse, Fury stalking over to Thor in concern. "How long has he been out like this?" he asked, lifting his eyelids and checking his pulse.

Kagome looked up from her self-imposed job of youma dust clean-up, catching Natasha's fleeting glimpse of worry for Clint and Fury's... well, fury, that Thor had been brought down. She gestured to the leftover delivery cartons. "Since supper, about an hour ago. You'll probably find the real delivery driver missing. The youma wasn't as ravenous as usual."

A faintly nauseated Natasha looked at her oddly. "These things _eat_ people?"

Kagome nodded. "Youma are unassuaged hunger. He toyed with Thor, but didn't even lick him. So either Thor was promised to someone else, or he'd just consumed someone and didn't wish to become lethargic." She shrugged.

"You seem quite calm about everything," Fury noted. It sent a thrill of horror down his soul to realize that this sixteen year old girl was blase about a man being eaten because she had either seen it before, or had seen much worse. He was betting on much worse. He'd seen eyes like hers on combat veterans who had been long term prisoners of war.

"I've seen it before." She pressed a hand into her side, subconsciously reminded of Noblewoman Centipede's enjoyment of her flesh. "We were lucky, it was weak and everyone is safe." Her eyes got impossibly large, as she thought of the two still missing. "Unless something happen to Father and Pepper? Are they okay?"

"They're fine, on their way back right now." Natasha reassured her.

"I thought you might be upset that someone broke into your home and threatened you," Fury added, wondering if he could get a normal response from her. "It's not a common, everyday occurrence for most teenagers."

She waved a hand dismissively. "To spirits I'm a feast, I learned that ages ago."

"And regular people?" Nick was fascinated. Tony was such an all around pain, it was a pleasant surprise to find his daughter so calm and self-effacing. Howard would have been completely baffled by his granddaughter, but Maria, now. _Oh, Maria would have loved this girl._

"Yes. We're all food, though to a youma you would be a lesser meal than Thor-sama. They'd live a hundred years off his energy alone."

"It seems odd that you're so calm about it," Clint delved, interested in this bit of a girl who out-shot him so easily against supernatural beings, but admitted to being at the mercy of humanity. Her reactions to his words illustrated her youth, a disturbing contrast to the blooded warrior she was.

She ducked her head, twirling a lock of hair between her fingers before admitting with a blush, "I got captured a lot by youkai who wanted to eat me, use me, steal my soul, make me a puppet, curse me, or... um, marry me. A friend explained that I am powerful, and power attracts the power-hungry."

* * *

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The English adaptation calls the centipede woman 'Mistress', but in Japanese the word is Jouou, which means noblewoman. The translation works with the old fashioned meaning of 'Mistress', but I don't like to use it because of the sexual connotations 'Mistress' has in today's society. Mistress also contracts to Miss, and that doesn't relay the societal position of the woman the centipede was aping.

The anime was much more kid-friendly... in the manga, it wasn't that the various villains wanted to _marry_ Kagome, they were going to rape her.


	52. If I Needed Someone

Chapter Fifty-Two

_If I Needed Someone_

* * *

Thor heard the last part, wincing inwardly at his behavior when they met. But it was true. She _was_ powerful, it swam in the air around her and announced itself with trumpets to those who had the sensitivity to feel it. He groggily tried to sit up, managing to wrap his hand over the back of the couch and lever himself into a sitting position.

"My head pounds like the morning after a drinking contest with Father. What has happened here?"

"It seems you were drugged by dinner, then put on the menu." Fury rubbed his temples as he realized the narrowly averted disaster. _Had Thor been killed on American soil..._ He tamped down the panic. "Thankfully Kagome was here to save your bacon."

The outside door opened, and a _squeal_ like cogs being stripped made everyone wince. "That's a Stark for you," Tony said as he and Pepper came in, the Iron Man suit torn up and loosing function. "Always ready to rescue the damsel in distress. Except she better not have to kiss you, Raprincezel."

"He _was_ in an induced sleep," Natasha pointed out, stirring the pot as usual. "That's more Snow White or Sleeping Beauty."

"Beauty he's not, sleeping or awake. I'm fine Kagome." Reacting to her worried face, he reached over to pull her into a hug. "The bastards had some wicked manicures, though." Letting her step back after a moment, he fiddled with a jagged edge, wincing at how deeply the suit was sliced open. _And the release catches are toast, too._ "Suit's going to have to be cut open like a tin of caviar," he grumbled, looking at the bubbled rent Kagome had her hand on.

"You're lucky Iron Man's so tough," Kagome prodded the distorted metal, a spark of power flashing. "That youkai had poison claws."

"Huh. That was from PéPe Le Pew. Kid with black and white hair, sides shaved, looked like he'd fallen asleep on a Tokyo newspaper. The other looked like a brown Cat-In-The-Hat, without the hat or nifty bow tie. Took them both out. There was another reported, but must of ran off, I didn't see it there."

"You didn't see one?" she asked, a bad feeling welling up inside her. She eyed him, then looked over to Pepper. Her stomach turned. _I didn't want to pull them into danger like this..._ "At least you _all_ made it back safely," she commented, tapping her finger three times against him.

Tony's reputation as a shark in business was well deserved. He caught her drift immediately. "Nope, and you know, that's really too bad. It missed meeting my charming self and-" Kagome stepped away from him, and he reached for Pepper, pulling her to him back to chest and locking his hands around her wrists. "Our resident expert in holy hand grenades."

He restrained Pepper with his suit and Kagome concentrated on finding the youki she had sensed for such a short moment.

In that single moment of inattention, Natasha struck.


	53. Tomorrow Never Knows

Chapter Fifty-Three

_Tomorrow Never Knows_

* * *

Kagome froze at the feeling of a knife at her throat, until the long months of self-defense practice with Sango kicked in. She relaxed back into Natasha's hold, letting her legs fold as if she had fainted. As soon as she'd fouled the knife's aim, she stopped her slide down the spy's body and slammed a reiki charged hand into her abdomen, pushing power through her. Nothing harmful for Natasha, she was human, after all. But the shriek outside told her she'd at least burned the connection out.

Natasha was left blinking, wondering why she had her knife and was holding Kagome. She let the girl go, surprised when she backed away from her and grabbed her bow before dashing outside. "What just happened?"

"Well, if possession is nine-tenths of the law, then you were owned, Prissy." Tony pointed out. "Now if someone would be so kind to go after my daughter, I'm just a bit stuck at the moment."

"My arrows did nothing-" Clint said as Thor cut him off with, "I'll go, I owe the little priestess a life-debt." He ran out the door as a star-bright arrow streaked through the sky.

Pepper, meanwhile, was trying to twist out of Tony's grip."What do you mean, you're stuck? Tony, this isn't the time for jokes."

"Pepper, as lovely as they are, I'd appreciate you not flashing your breasts at me. I failed to make certain allowances for inflation-"

"I'll go cover the god and the priestess," Natasha dashed out the door_,_ happy to be quit of the lech's conversation, and jogged over to Thor and Kagome. Blessing her facility for languages, she easily joined their conversation.

Kagome scanned the building across from them, looking for the sneaky puppetmaster. "I wish you had a long-range ki-based attack, Thor-sama. Inuyasha and I could triple the damage his sword did when we combined attacks."

"Fury may frown on such in the city. The citizens here were incensed at the damage done to Manhattan despite their freedom being secured because of it. Truly, humanity puzzles me at times." He shook his head at the vagaries of the species.

"They're safe. They've never been prey, never experienced the privation of war, never sold a child to keep the rest alive though winter. I can't see anyone I've met being grateful for a small bowl of boiled barley topped with a bit of bran-pickled turnip." Kagome heaved a great sigh, wondering if her life would ever be anything close to normal. "It's no good, she's gotten away. How could they have found out about the jewel, but not know it was destroyed?"

"What if someone is manipulating them, feeding them information in order to draw you out?" Natasha watched the girl's brow furrow before she nodded. "Do you have any enemies?"

Kagome looked over to the woman, incredible sorrow etched into her face. "I thought Naraku's death and the dissolution of the jewel would end it all. There's a lot you all need to know."

* * *

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Prissy- _Gone With the Wind_ reference. She was Scarlett's ditzy, useless handmaid. There's still some enmity between Tony and Natasha.


	54. Wait

Chapter Fifty-Four

_Wait_

* * *

Tony agreed with her, though he refused to go into it that night. It would take a while to remove the damaged suit and he insisted on being with Kagome. Fury, sensing Tony was going to play the minor card if pushed, agreed, adding that if it wasn't going to be reported he wanted the whole team to hear it.

Thor walked the other Avengers out, allowing Pepper to squirm out of the hold Tony had her in; though she lost her shirt and her dignity doing it. Not being the kind of person who takes humiliation well, she stalked back to the bedroom to cool down and change clothes.

When Thor returned, they decided that Tony's suit was broken in too many places for Thor to carry him safely alone. Kagome just wasn't strong enough... but then her bow vibrated against her back, surprising her into looking over her shoulder at it.

"Wait, I think I _can_ help!" She tore a sheet of paper off one of Pepper's legal pads and folded it into an origami doll before asking Thor for a hair.

He pulled one and handed it to her, wondering what she was doing. Tony was no less curious, though he recognized the chanting as the same kind of magic she'd employed before. However, it shocked him as much as it did Thor when the doll she was praying over came to life in her arms.

A chibified six-year-old version of the godling, it kissed her cheek and squirmed down before running over to the astonished original. "She did it! She did it!," little Thor crowed before trying to lift Tony.

"What have you done, Priestess?" The prince asked, staring in wide-eyed horror at the overly cute midget copy of him.

"Its a shikigami. This is my first time making one, so he's not perfect... but he'll be strong enough to help, even if he's a little guy! Give him a chance, please?"

"If Thor doesn't want him, can I keep him?" Tony begged, torn between laughter and amazement.

"I want my hair back after we move Tony downstairs," Thor demanded. "If my mother saw him, she would move the whole tree to keep him."

She promised, even as Tony tried to cajole her to keep it. "Tou-san, I'll make you one of yourself. I'm not a dark miko to keep Thor's hair against his will. I need to learn how to do it better anyways. Shikigami should be exact copies."

Pepper came back to the living room, curious about the noise they were all making. She looked between the two Thors, instantly entranced. "He's adorable! Where did _you_ come from?" she asked the puppet.

"Kagome made me! I'm going to help carry Tony downstairs!" He dashed back over to the damaged suit. "Let's go, Thor! We'll crack him open like a crab and pull him out!"

Tony ribbed Thor mercilessly over the shikigami all the way downstairs, even after the threat of an accidentally _cracked_ head.


	55. Good Day Sunshine

Chapter Fifty-Five

_Good Day Sunshine_

* * *

The next morning Thor said his goodbyes. "I will return, but the Bifrost has been working for several days now. I must let Father know I have completed the task set for me. Lady Priestess, I owe you a life-debt. Should you need anything, please come to me."

She slid a finger through her hair, tucking it behind her ear. "Thank you, but truly the only thing I lack, I'm separated five hundred years from. Safe journey, Thor. Give your father my thanks for saving my bow."

Noting her sudden glow, he grinned and kissed the hands of the two women, and left in a flurry of wind.

"Please tell me you kept his hair," Tony begged, like a child denied a toy.

She ignored the pleading, long days developing her resistance to kitsunes' charms making her quite immune to her father's wheedling. But if she wanted peace... "Stop whining, tou-san. I'm not stealing Thor-sama's hair. But here... Tou-kun, Pepper-chan!" Two children raced in, looking up to their respective hair donors.

Pepper had to sit down. "She looks like my school pictures, exactly like them. And little Tony is-"

"I want little Pepper. Mini-Me's old hat, but mini-Pepper is too cute. She can follow me around all day just looking adorable-"

"Tou-san, they can't be seen! Can't you imagine what people would think?"

"You're being a nagging party-pooper," he pouted, while Pepper and mini-Pepper glared at him. Pepper finally walked out, exasperated.

Offended, Kagome crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air. "If that's how you feel, then I won't tell you my plans for tonight's meeting."

"What plans? Kagome? Please?" Tony cajoled her sweetly, but to no avail... she ignored him, and the shikigami children followed her lead, turning away and following her back to her room.

~oOo~

The Avengers once again gathered in the lobby, waiting for the elevator, this time missing two of their members. Nick just sighed when questioned, and quickly formed an acceptable- to him, at least- explanation. "Thor had to report he'd found their Warrior. Apparently, he already knows her story because her bow gave everyone in Asgard nightmares about her adventures. Banner managed to give his surveillance team the slip, and disappeared into the Amazon. Who knows where he'll turn up next."

Actually, Bruce had left a message, along with a number of unconscious operatives, for Fury to shove his surveillance where the sun didn't shine and leave him alone, but Nick wasn't about to admit that. It was hard enough to command respect from this crew of misfits.

He missed the comfort of authority and command on the helicarrier. His underlings were lucky... they didn't have to deal with narcissistic self-proclaimed superheros that actually managed to produce children capable of magic. Children who managed to get themselves involved in unknown supernatural messes... his head ached.

What he would give for an honest-to-God _human_ threat; Nazis, Cold War maneuvering, jihads... anything but a chorus of 'gods and demons and aliens, oh my.'

* * *

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Poor Nick. He didn't think much of Thor's tales of dreams.


	56. Devil In Her Heart

Chapter Fifty-Six

_Devil In Her Heart_

* * *

The elevator opened into an empty living room, without a greeting from JARVIS. Instantly on alert, Fury called out a greeting, and they heard the noisy rumble of three children racing into the room. A triple chorus of "Aunt Natasha," "Uncle Clint," and "Uncle Steve" filled the air as three five-year-olds who looked exactly like childish versions of Tony, Kagome, and Pepper dashed to the respective adult.

Natasha was the first to react to the child in her arms. "Tony?" she asked in amazement. "What's happened, how are you all so little now..." She suddenly felt the weight of cold steel against her neck and reacted, disarming the supposed child and putting him under her knee with his arms behind his back.

Glancing back, she saw that Clint and Steve were at the mercy of their childish assassins. She growled in frustration, knowing if she let the boy up, she'd be risking herself. Nick had his gun out, but the children were curiously unafraid, going by their expressions.

She heard clapping coming from the hallway, and a laughing Tony walked in with Kagome. "I didn't believe her," he got out between chuckles, "that you all would buy that! Could there be a secret fetish working there for you, _Auntie_ Natasha? "

"So this was a test, then?" Nick asked, half peeved that _children_ had gotten the drop on his soldiers, the other half wanting to deck Howard's son, as usual.

Kagome rubbed her temples after shooting her overly amused father a look that clearly wondered who the adult was. "Tou-san, Natasha's not a shotacon. Fury-san, no it wasn't a test. A demonstration." She sighed and told the kids to relax.

"Where did you find children that look like you?" Steve asked, his sensibilities heavily disturbed by the whole ordeal.

"They aren't children. They aren't even human," she responded, calling her power back to her. Paper dolls drifted to the floor to the amazement and discomfort of the four. "You all are not equipped to fight youkai. Natasha was the only one who reacted right, even if it was too late."

"I don't know how you did that, but they looked like children," Steve objected. "I'm not going to hurt children."

"Then you will die." Kagome put it plainly, trying to make a point. "Youkai routinely disguise themselves as someone helpless. A beautiful woman, a piteous child. Anything to put you off your guard. Unless you can sense the difference between human and non-human and defend yourself accordingly, knowing my story, becoming involved with my battle, will get you killed."

Fury looked over to the now serious Tony, not knowing where this was going.

"She's already told me I can't stop her from defending people." Tony hated it, wanted to protect her, but she wasn't a kid. Even a call to Aiko hadn't helped, as she had accepted Kagome as an adult months ago. "So if you guys are going to be involved, Kagome's going to teach you what she can."

* * *

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Shotacon- often shortened to shota. The sexual interest in prepubescent children, or a person who has said interest. Sadly enough, it commands a measurable portion of Japan's sex trade.


	57. Set Fire To That Lot!

Chapter Fifty-Seven

_Set Fire To That Lot!_

* * *

She told them the basics of her journey, emphasizing that the Shikon no Tama had been destroyed after it claimed the lives of thousands. She left out, at Tony's insistence, the efforts to remake it and that _her_ soul was needed to power it, not wanting to paint a target on her back.

Clint spoke up afterwards, recognizing some of the things she'd gone through. "I've wondered why Loki chose to take _me_ over. It seems even more baffling now that the youma we fought easily caught my arrow."

She looked at him, her hand curled in the Japanese version of _wait one moment_. Her spirit sense searched him thoroughly, but while he did have large amounts of ki untapped, none of it was holy. "Sorry, I was looking for your spirit energy. There is no holy energy in you, but it looks like your training has built up an impressive amount of ki for a normal human. That potential is probably what he was after. If you could unblock it, your arrows would be harder to deflect."

"There's more than one kind of energy?" Natasha felt out of her depth, just as she had since having to break Loki's hold on Clint, but knowing _why_ the godling had taken him somehow helped her anxiety.

"Mm," Kagome nodded. "I knew a youkai that didn't have to touch you with his sword to cut you with it; the kenatsu, or spiritual power of the sword, would slice through you from meters away."

"And you think I could do that with my arrows, if I somehow managed to break through the blockage." Clint toyed with the idea, intrigued by the possibility of becoming stronger.

"Rogers-san as well." Though she didn't know if he would be open to the training, if the obstinate look on his face was anything to go by. He had dismissed her belief in reincarnation as well. "But all of you could learn to sense _others_ and fight off possession, at least with minor youkai. The great youkai, the ones that truly look human, you should avoid and leave to me."

"If you run from a fight, you'll never stop running," the stubborn blond Captain insisted.

Upset that he wasn't listening, she leveled a serious look at everyone in the room. "The taijiya were a clan specializing in youkai extermination. They spent their whole lives learning the martial and assassin's arts and had extensive knowledge of youkai strengths and weaknesses and the weapons, poisons, and traps best used against them. They also manufactured their own weapons and armor using the skin, bones, scales, and any other part of a youkai that could be adapted into items safe for a human to use, things you do not have and no modern process can replicate.

"Even with those advantages, they had a hard and fast rule. If it looked human, they did not go after it, for it was those that looked most human that were the strongest and most vengeful."


	58. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

Chapter Fifty-Eight

_Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da_

* * *

After a long silence as they absorbed that information, Fury asked, "You believe you can teach us these skills, Kagome?" He was genuinely curious, as well as satisfied Tony had been stymied and Kagome was working out well in the group, even if she wasn't an official member.

"I'm still learning myself, but I can tell everyone about the different types of youkai while I figure out how to teach them. I was immediately thrown into battle, and had to learn as I went." She wasn't sure about training them, but she _knew_ she could at least educate them. She'd listened to everything Sango taught her and made notes on it. "Mama can send me my journals, they'll help."

"I've put out word I'm interested in Shinto artifacts, through legitimate channels and the black market. She learned the privacy wards in this room from a scroll I acquired in California." Tony nodded to the kanji border painted around the room. "Looks like an interior decorator's idea, but it's impossible to be spied on in here, physically _or_ electronically. Even JARVIS can't detect us; all cameras and sensors are scrambled."

"Could you do this design anywhere? And those dolls from earlier, do they always look like children?" The more he learned, the more fascinated he became. In his head, Fury was dancing a jig at getting Kagome's cooperation.

"Yes, though I'd have to renew it every year. I'm still practicing with the shikigami, their faces don't look quite right.

"Then we'll start tomorrow. If Tony's looking for artifacts, I'll find teachers for you- if I have to ask the Dali Lama himself. Hawkeye, you can work on archery and that ki blockage with her, but I want Natasha to teach her hand-to-hand. I can see you're skeptical, Captain, but work with them anyways. You can at least learn about these youkai. All of this is classified and is not to go beyond the Avengers. There will be no sealed records to worry about, because there won't be any records made.

"Tony, Kagome, I'd appreciate it if a room on the helicarrier could be redecorated. It would have been nice to have a place like this during that debacle Loki put us through." A passing thought made Fury turn back to the miko. "Do you think your battle in the jewel happening at the same time as the Chitouri invasion was simply coincidence?"

She shook her head. "I don't believe in coincidence." She twirled a length of hair around her finger. "For two such battles to happen at the same time... I hope that the higher powers aren't becoming involved. I much prefer hitsuzen to fate, choices aren't as cold and implacable as fate's decrees."

Natasha, with her knowledge of Japanese, was stumped at the division Kagome made. "I thought hitsuzen translated as fate?"

"Hitsuzen is the singular outcome of everyone's choices. Fate is the god's decree. I'll take choice over gaining the attention of a god any day."

Natasha agreed completely.


	59. Pepperland

Chapter Fifty-Nine

_Pepperland_

* * *

Three weeks later, everyone had settled into their routines. Things had been oddly peaceful, which made Tony and S.H.I.E.L.D. nervous, though Kagome was mysteriously unconcerned... focusing on her daily lessons from Natasha and teaching the others about youkai and their powers. Her calm demeanor drove Tony up the wall, which amused Pepper and Natasha to no end.

Meanwhile, Pepper began bringing Kagome with her to work, introducing her to the employees and showing her the ropes. She involved her in everything; touring factories, showing off the overhauled R&D department, explaining the Green Energy Initiative, even inviting her to sit in on meetings when possible.

When Pepper was busy, Kagome studied with JARVIS and the instructor provided by her new school. The constant immersion in the language connected written word to sounds, and she improved quickly. And, with research scientists willing to explain designs and describe how they came to their conclusions, she began to struggle less with math, chemistry, and the sciences now that they were no longer abstract subjects, but ones with concrete uses in her everyday life.

The IQ test proved her to be highly intelligent, though not genius level like her father; not that it mattered. Howard Stark hadn't technically been a genius, either, but, as Tony pointed out, his dad had still taken him to school thirty years after his death.

Kagome had smiled at that, doing her best to look impressed, but privately she felt rather uneasy about being Howard Stark's granddaughter. To Americans, he was a hero of immense proportions. Defeater of Nazis, weapons designer extraordinaire... key figure in the Manhattan Project.

It was his involvement in that project that upset her most; especially when Grandfather made the connection and fussed so much he had to take to his bed. His brother and extended family had lived in Nagasaki in the forties. Grandfather took the family to the museum in Hiroshima every year to remember, although Kagome had missed last year's trip due to the events in Hakureizan. She honestly couldn't imagine the pain of visiting Hiroshima again, with her power as strong as it was now.

At least Tony no longer made weapons. She wouldn't want anything to do with the company if he did.

Kagome did become fascinated with Stark Industries' green energy projects, though. Her travels in the Warring-States era had shown her how dramatically changed the world's climate and landscape was. Japan had been applying their best technology to environmental concerns for years, so it was intriguing being in on America's fledgling attempts to improve modern business' environmental practices.

Pepper was impressed with Kagome's approach, as she looked into ways to accomplish the objective without putting so much strain on the businesses that they dismissed it out of hand, or skimped on the implementation. More than one associate thought to find an idealistic tree-hugger sitting in on meetings, only to be impressed with the quiet girl who spoke only to answer questions and approached environmental concerns with people in mind.


	60. Love You Too

Chapter Sixty

_Love You Too_

* * *

Tony immured himself in his lab, now that he had an alternate science user willing to cooperate with him... to a point. His daughter took life and duty so very seriously, he'd made it his personal goal to lighten her up. It took longer than usual... he grumbled often that Zen was a _Buddhist_ teaching... but to his delight he finally found the button that set Kagome off in a spectacular display of temper. She apparently _liked_ to study... while Tony _loved_ the energy readings he got as her powers sparked around her when he interrupted her time and again.

"I am going to purify you one day," Kagome grumbled as Tony grinned and turned his music higher, "and when they find your ashes, no one will be surprised you were a demon in disguise."

"You've been studying for hours-"

"Half an hour-"

"And I want to test-."

"You always want to test-"

"Give me two hours."

She looked at him skeptically. "And you'll leave me alone for the rest of the night, so I can study in peace and _quiet_?"

"Scout's honor."

"Sir, you were never a scout. And that particular hand sign is for college football."

"Thank you, JARVIS." Kagome folded her arms and stared at her father.

Tony waggled his thumb and pinkie before dropping it. "See, I can't keep you more than two hours, I've got a football game to watch." He gave her his best disingenuous smile, certain he'd hook her.

She heaved a sigh. He never watched sports, as he was chronically unable to sit still for that long. And he would find some way to extend the time, like he always did... but it was the only way she'd be able to study for her exam without being pestered. _I may owe Inuyasha an apology_... _at least he only stared at me when I tried to study_. She shook her head. _Nah. They're two of a kind when it comes to messing with my schoolwork._

"Fine," she capitulated, setting down her own rules. "Two hours _only_. JARVIS keeps track and you don't do anything to him. I know you put him on mute last time."

Tony grinned and shrugged. "Can't blame a dad for trying, can you?"

She sighed. "Maybe not, but school here is different and I'm having a little trouble. I'm used to rote learning, memorizing things exactly how I was taught them. My tutor says that's lazy... he said instructors here want opinions and I should be ready to debate my answers at any time."

"Culture shock, huh? Okay, I swear on Dummy's programming no more than two hours. And if you need help, I'll put on my serious cap and be your devoted tutor for the night." He relished her small smile and nod... but as she closed her books and headed to the lab, his grin turned slightly sadistic. That tutor of hers would feel lucky to be flipping burgers in Iowa after Tony got through with him.

* * *

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Not a week ago my betas said, 'hey... ya know, chapter sixty just doesn't flow right.' After banging my head against a wall, I agreed and hurriedly rewrote it. But now what started as one chapter is now three.

Writing is so much better with a beta.


	61. To Know Her Is To Love Her

Chapter Sixty-One

_To Know Her Is To Love Her_

* * *

Kagome actually became excited about this experiment. Tony had a collection of samples from the periodic table, and they spent a little over an hour checking the reaction and resistance each had with her reiki. He was surprised at the findings, while she sheepishly relayed her experience with one of Souta's pranks and the resulting fried hairdryer.

He caught her wistfulness, sympathizing. "Skype and email just isn't the same, is it? I know your mom can't leave your grandfather for long, but maybe Souta can come over one weekend." He uneasily ignored her moist eyes, getting back to their experiment.

"Since your reiki acts much like electricity with metals, I think a carbon fiber/beryllium combination would work best for your arrows. Beryllium's the best conductor out there for the weight, though rarely used due to it's toxicity. Not really a problem for you, I don't think. Lines of it through the carbon should give you a boost."

When she didn't answer, he thought about things for all of two seconds before deciding to up the ante a little. "I want you to zap me."

Shocked out of her wave of homesickness, she stared at him a moment. "What? You want me to purify you? Now?"

He grinned playfully, grabbing a couple of nuts out of the bowl on his desk and popping them in his mouth. "I've kept an eye on Natasha. Whatever you did to her didn't seem to have any long term effects."

"I aimed for the youkai trying to possess her, not Natasha herself."

"So you just used her as a conduit?"

She thought about that for a moment. "The youkai had a weak hold on her since it was trying to keep hidden from me. I sent my reiki down the controlling strands of youki to attack them... but it did have to travel through her first."

"So I should be fine. I mean assassin versus playboy and all..."

She cocked her head, considering him. "Yes. You don't hold as much darkness in your soul as she did." She cut off his undoubtedly acerbic retort with, "Being a lech doesn't really stain the soul, unless..." she trailed off, trying to find the words. Finally she gave up and sent a spate of Japanese to JARVIS.

"Sir, to paraphrase her more polite explanation, if you used your sexuality to empower yourself or degrade others it would create darkness within you."

"Oh, so since I was just in it for the fun, I'm good?"

Kagome wiped the smarmy smile from his face with her next words, "Yes, sort of... after all, Miroku was about as bad as you, plus he was a thief and con-artist who had violence issues at times, but he still was a decent guy and a strong monk. His aura was even purer than yours."

He looked at her incredulously, standing there with a completely innocent look on her face. _How does she get away with saying the most outrageous things, without upsetting anyone?_

* * *

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I believe he's just a tad jealous... he always gets in trouble with his wisecracks.

There is a BBC documentary series called _Feasts_, and I highly recommend the second one to people wanting to understand the Japanese mindset. _Feasts: Japan_ takes you through three different festivals (Baby Sumo, a Shinto Fertility Festival, and the Naked Man Festival) as the host tries to understand the seemingly contradictory lifestyles of modern Japan.

The other two episodes are just as excellent!


	62. Flying

Chapter Sixty-Two

_Flying_

* * *

"Woah, stop, cut the juice!" He shivered one last time, the electrifying feeling of unrestrained power washing once more over his skin before she withdrew it. "Alrighty, whooo!" He held his hand over the arc reactor in his chest as it glowed brightly with the influx of energy. "Talk about a rush! How many times was that?"

"Thirteen. And your two hours are up. I really need to get back to studying," Kagome pointed out.

JARVIS interrupted their conversation, running a secondary test even as he reported his preliminary findings, "Sir, there has been a change to the elemental core of your arc reactor."

Tony frowned. "What kind of change?"

"Without in-depth diagnostics, I cannot be certain, but outside readings suggest it has been refined. After that last influx of power, it's energy output has improved by sixteen and one-half percent."

Kagome looked at him with that piercing gaze he recognized from her examinations of the Avengers. "How strange... you're holding reiki now, tou-san."

Tony grunted out a _huh_, and looked down at the triangle on his chest then at his newest suit. "Let's try something." He activated the Mark 9, Kagome eagerly joining him.

He flew out over the Atlantic, finding an unoccupied area to play in and shot off the Gallagher. He laughed at the excited raps to his helmet, and returned as fast as he dared to the tower, since the flight suit he'd designed for her wasn't out of production yet.

"I can't believe it! That shot was laced with reiki... it would have seriously hurt a youkai, tou-san!" She walked just ahead of him as the suit was taken off, excitedly chattering as she stayed out of range of the robotized suit removal.

"Very cool, but if my liberal views swing to the right, you're going to find yourself in an all-girls school deep in the heart of the Alps." He laughed as she rolled her eyes at his posturing. "But now we have to figure out how that happened... was I holding the reiki, or was it the arc reactor? And why did the core become super-refined?" It was times like these he really wished Bruce would show up.

Kagome suddenly stiffened, holding up a hand as she felt strong youki in the penthouse. But then she recognized it, and a painful hope blossomed. Tony's worried questions were ignored as she lit up like a sun and ran inside the house. She stared wide-eyed at the visitors waiting inside, her heart so full it felt like bursting.

When their eyes met, he forgot all his insecurities. It didn't matter that they were surrounded by people, or that he hardly ever said the right thing in moments like these. He reached for her shining hand with his own luminous one, pulling her into his embrace. With uncommon softness in those familiar golden eyes, he smiled. "Kagome, I'm sorry. Were you waiting?"

She swallowed hard, tears overflowing. "Inuyasha... you idiot... what have you been up to?"


	63. It's Only Love

Chapter Sixty-Three

_It's Only Love_

* * *

Kagome's heart stuttered when Inuyasha replied, "Waiting for you..." Stuttered, then started again with a triumphant beat; that blossom of hope ripening into fullness.

The shining brilliance of her soul-light reached out to the rich, dark-gold glow of Inuyasha's spirit; just as his sought and intertwined with her white. Pepper drew a surprised breath as the cord of fate joining the two became visible to everyone in the room, and turned the dark crimson of heart's blood. It pulsed with the dual rhythm of their hearts until it was transformed to a singular beat. White and gold threads then shot through the cord; knitting it together into an unbreakable knot before it sank into their bodies.

Kagome and Inuyasha were stunned by the shockwave of power that echoed through them as their newly-combined auras vanished. The silent voices of the kami began rejoicing, singing of worthy children deserving the gods benediction, and of tying souls together for eternity. Preoccupied with the music of the heavens and a new awareness of each other, the two didn't even blush when the large crowd surrounding them started cheering.

Thor winced as Sif punched his arm, her eyes watering at the romantic tableau before them. _Rough little woman_, he fondly thought as he watched the legend of the Warrior of Light get a happy ending. _She always gets so violent during emotional moments..._

A sly, mischievous voice cut through the well-wishes, nearly earning its owner a cracked skull. "Maa, maa, Inuyasha. I never knew you had it in you. Such passion; it seems I should have taken more pointers from you all along- Ow!"

"Shut it, Miroku." Hiraikotsu smoothly slipped back into place behind her; so quickly the only evidence Sango had reinforced the usual lesson was the rapidly swelling knot on his head. Sango held out her hands for her best friend, and Inuyasha let Kagome go; taking joy in her happiness as tears overflowed on both sides as the heart-sisters reunited. And only a little growl slipped out as the monk greeted her as well... quelled mainly by the bouzo's quick, surprisingly non-lecherous greeting.

Face damp with happy tears, Kagome stepped back and looked at the outlandishly dressed group watching over them. Her eyes shone, saying everything she couldn't, her joy at being reunited with her friends a tangible thing.

Thor grinned, overjoyed that he'd helped bring the legend of the Warrior of Light to such a happy ending. "I am not the magician my brother is, but even I could recognize a soul calling for it's other half. That bond is too rare to leave broken."

She bowed deeply, a lyrical rush of Japanese pouring from her.

He opened a pouch and removed a small vial. "First, my lady, please drink this and I'll introduce everyone."

She wondered at the red tinge to the golden brew, catching a whiff of sweet alcohol. Nose wrinkling at the smell, she tossed it back and immediately started choking, dark magics curling down her throat.


	64. I Should Have Known Better

Chapter Sixty-Four

_I Should Have Known Better_

* * *

Inuyasha was immediately at her side, supporting her as her knees buckled. "What's wrong? Kagome?"

"Blood," she gasped, "Blood and dark magic, death magic." She grimaced, her stomach rolling as shivers began to wrack her body, and tried not to panic. "It feels almost like the darkness of Nimenka's elixir..."

Tony broke away from the door where he'd been watching the reunion, and pulled Kagome out of Inuyasha's arms, checking her for signs of poisoning. "What did you give her, Thor?" he demanded as he felt the cold sweat on her brow. "JARVIS, call an ambulance-"

"Mortal healers could do naught," Sif countered, "It is the Mead of Poetry, that gives knowledge and facility of tongue to those who drink it. We thought only to give her the gift of languages; I'm afraid we didn't take into consideration that it is dwarf-made from the blood of a murdered Asgardian."

"It didn't react to us that way," Miroku said, "or we never would have allowed her to drink it." Worried, he began chanting a prayer for healing.

"It's ok, everyone, really. I've dealt with worse." She smiled in relief at the trickle of reiki coming from Tony as it settled her stomach and arrested the spread of dark magic, allowing her to purify the rest. "Thank you, I feel better now... I think we've answered one your earlier questions, too."

"What?" He caught the headshake she gave, and packed away his curiosity for later, when they had more privacy. And since she _was_ looking better, he steadied her as she stood... but a little devilish impulse had him pushing her to Pepper instead of back to the boy, who did indeed have furry, twitching dog ears. _Amazing... they have to be real, even the finest animatronics aren't that good. Now where the hell is Bruce when I need him?_

Even as distracted as she was- worried for Kagome's health, and completely disgusted by the thought of drinking fermented blood and honey- Pepper caught the intrigued scientist gleam in Tony's eyes as he watched Kagome's boyfriend, and immediately went for a diversion before he did something monumentally stupid. "Thor, I believe you were going to introduce everyone?"

"Yes, I was. But first I must offer my apologies, Lady Kagome. I should have realized your energies are of the Light, more akin to the Vanir than we Aesir. It was not our intention to make you ill."

Kagome nodded, "It's okay, Thor-sama. And I'm already feeling better, don't worry."

He gave her a low, graceful bow, one that suddenly reminded everyone that, genial warrior and good friend that he was, he was also a royal prince and next in line for the crown of Asgard. Standing straight, he turned to the two groups behind him. "This is the Lady Kagome, known to all of Yggdrasil as the Warrior of Light. Her father, Tony Stark. He is also known as Iron Man, a protector of Midgard. And finally, his lady and steward, Pepper Potts."

* * *

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Mead Of Poetry- After a war between the Vanir (light gods of Vanaheim) and the Aesir (dark gods of Asgard) Kvasir was one of the hostages exchanged. He was the wisest god in either pantheon, and roamed all over, teaching as he went. Two dwarfs, Fjalar and Galar, became tired of his lectures, and murdered him. They mixed his blood with honey and made three vats of mead. To drink it gave you the wisdom of Kvasir's memories and his magical gift of poetry. Many Nordic adventures revolve around the Mead of Poetry.

Asgardian is the movie Americanization, therefore I used it- under protest. Truly, 'As' is the masculine singular of Aesir. The feminine plural is, interchangeably, 'Asynior' or 'Asyniur'. The feminine singular is 'Asynia'. Aesir is also used to refer to the whole pantheon. Thanks to www dot timelessmyths dot com forward-slash norse for the majority of my research on Norse mythology, including this tidbit.

Steward- an old word, in line with Thor's precise English. A steward took care of the day-to-day running of someone's business, home, and finances. There was no position of higher trust and respect in a household.


	65. I Saw Her Standing There

Chapter Sixty-Five

_I Saw Her Standing There_

* * *

Introductions of their hosts done, with a large smile Thor motioned for his comrades to come closer. "Lady Kagome, Tony, Pepper, it is my privilege to introduce to you the Lady Sif of Asgard, a fine warrior as fierce as the Valkyries of Valhalla. And these are the friends who have been beside me since our first day under the weapons-master's care; Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg, also known as the Warriors Three."

Greetings exchanged between the Asgardians and Tony, Pepper, and Kagome, Thor turned to the dark-haired couple. "Truly, I have met few souls braver than these two, who gladly traversed time in order to come to the aid of their friend and heart-sib. This is the wandering monk, Lord Miroku and his betrothed, Lady Sango, a youkai exterminator. They both were key fighters in the War of Souls and helped rid the worlds of the dark menace of Naraku and the legendary Shikon no Tama."

Sango smiled at Kagome who shrugged, both mutually bemused at how history recorded their tale. She then bowed to Tony and said in perfect English, "It is an honor to be able to meet Kagome-chan's family and friends. The gods bless you, to bring together family so long apart."

"Thank you," Tony deepened his voice, automatically reverting to his playboy persona. "It is always a pleasure to meet my daughter's beautiful friends." Pepper rolled her eyes and tried to keep her grin to herself as she sharply elbowed him in the ribs, before winking conspiratorially at Sango, who had just pinched a wandering hand. An understanding passed between them, kinship instantly established.

Oblivious to the two's silent communion, Thor continued with the final introduction, the one that might prove the hardest for Tony to deal with. "I have the honor and pleasure to present one who by Odin's decree is my equal in rank and pedigree, Prince Takeo Setsunamaru. The second son of the daiyoukai known as the Great Dog General, the Warlord of Western Japan, he was born of the Honorable Second Wife, Izayoi of Setsuna, a princess of the fifth rank. He is a blooded warrior, near his second century, landed and titled, and a hero of Midgard and Yggdrasil. With her matrilineal family's approval, he asks for Lady Kagome Stark's hand in marriage."

Everything went quiet; those who knew Tony keeping an eye on him, everyone else watching Kagome's wide-eyed reaction as a brilliant smile crossed her face. She turned to Tony, hands clasped together and eyes sparkling, waiting for his reaction.

Looking into those eyes, Tony found that Kagome had given him a terrible power. Just as Aiko had obeyed her parent's wishes and stopped seeing him all those long years ago, Kagome would do whatever he decided. There would be no raging, hostile defiance or rants about true love and destiny, she would follow his will despite her heart.

Never had their cultures left so broad a chasm between them... with one single word waiting to bridge the gap.

* * *

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I'm going to deviate from canon a little to give Inuyasha a background. The manga doesn't tell much, and I go off it more than the anime.

Why did I change Inuyasha's name? 1) He needed a last name. 2) Inuyasha (literally, Dog Demon) is a delinquent's nickname in modern times. 3) It was common to change your name after a life-altering event, such as becoming an adult or drastically changing professions (samurai to monk). Your name also was changed after your death, to prevent your soul from lingering.

'Blooded warrior'- A soldier who has fought and killed in battle.

Matrilineal- one's mother's family.

Modern Japanese still put family above the individual. Even if they fall in love, if their family disapproves of the match, they will break off the relationship. I've seen interviews where young adults say that they trust their parents to make a good match for them. Many of them also said it would be nice to be in love, though only after coaxing and much giggling and blushing.


	66. And I Love Her

Chapter Sixty-Six

_And I Love Her_

* * *

What could he do? They were very obviously meant for each other and in love, their connection even endorsed by something that could -_possibly_- be a deity. He really didn't have much choice in the matter, unless he wanted to alienate her and bring the wrath of Pepper down on his head.

It hurt, just a little.

That he hadn't known she even existed until a couple of months ago wasn't completely his fault. But he wondered, if he had been more responsible, would Aiko have told him she was pregnant? He had missed so much of this remarkable girl's life... would he be a different person now if she'd been in his life all along?

And when it had come time, would he have been strong enough to give her the freedom to follow her destiny as her mother had? Or would he have crushed her by holding her too tightly, imprisoning her like a pretty bird in a cage? Turned her into a vapid, mindless society idiot like so many he'd toyed with and abandoned?

He knew they weren't questions that he'd ever be able to answer.

But he _could_ follow traditions now. Let Kagome know how much she meant to him by stepping into an adult's shoes... a _father's_ shoes. He broke the expectant hush with a cleared throat. "That is my daughter you are asking for and, even if you have some sort of weird 'blessed by the gods' lightshow thing going on and her mother's favor, there are specific courtesies due when a boy wants to _date_ a man's daughter."

Swallowing the words that threatened to slip out, Inuyasha nodded his head, ears twitching. He'd been told Tony knew about his heritage, but it was hard to imagine a father _allowing_ his daughter to be anywhere near a hanyou. Inuyasha looked curiously at him, noting that the man's dark eyes were exactly like Kagome's, a stamp of patrimony that didn't need the confirmation of scent.

He walked over to Tony, to honor custom and announce himself formally to the father of his beloved. Donning the aristocratic manners he'd been raised with didn't choke him as much as he thought it might have, he mused as he bowed, tamping down a smile as he heard Kagome's quick inhale and barely-there whisper of _Inuyasha?_

"Mr. Stark, I am Takeo Setsunamaru. I ask permission to... _date..._ Kagome Stark, once Higurashi, the great priestess who defeated Naraku and delivered the worlds from the threat of the Shikon no Tama."

"Huh, that was practiced." Tony grumped.

"The bakagami had me memorize it. I promised to protect her. I will hold to that promise, until the seven Dragons rise to consume the earth and start it anew."

Tony gave a devil's grin. "You may be her choice, but you haven't won me over yet. So treat her right, or I'll make your life a living hell."

Inuyasha stuck his nose in the air and crossed his arms. "Keh. You can try."

* * *

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Bakagami- idiot god.

'Seven dragons destroy the world'- Everyone needs a little CLAMP in their life. Refers to X/1999.


	67. From Us To You

Chapter Sixty-Seven

_From Us To You_

* * *

Kagome glared at them both, until Pepper quietly whispered, "Should we get them a ruler, or let the testosterone poison them?" She immediately blanched, not wanting to have to explain that reference to Inuyasha.

Sif elbowed Thor again, pointedly looking down to Megingjarpar. Taking the hint, he opened a pouch on the enchanted belt, removing a small scroll and breaking it's seal. Clearing his throat to divert attention from Tony and Takeo, he waited until everyone had turned his way to begin reading.

"To the Lady Kagome Stark, known to the worlds of Yggdrasil as the Warrior of Light, greetings from Odin All-Father and Frigga, King and Queen of Asgard. In appreciation for the destruction of the Shikon no Tama before it could affect Yggdrasil, he has bridged time to offer your Fellowship a place together in this world."

Kagome sniffed, holding back another spate of tears as she joined her friends, twining hands with Inuya... no, Takeo, she would have to remember his adult name... and Sango.

"Also, in recognition of the heroism of Lady Kagome, the worlds of Asgard, Vanaheim, Alfhiem, and Niflheim hereby grant her noble title and lands in each world." He smiled to see how round her eyes were. "In addition, for saving the life of one of his beloved sons, Odin has sent you a token of his esteem. While nothing could equal the worth of a child, he hopes an archer of your merit would enjoy a quiver designed by the dwarf Eiti, co-creator of Drauptnir, the ring of power."

Sif bowed, face schooled into solemnity as she unslung the quiver from her back and offered it on one knee, holding it above her head as she explained the quiver's enchantment. "Lady Warrior of Light and Legend, this quiver is known as Eitisleif. Place anything in it, and every seven days it will create nine identical items. It will hold everything it creates without overfilling, almost an inexhaustible amount."

"But if it's dwarf-made too-" Tony began to object, worried that Kagome would become sick with it as well.

"I'm not eating the quiver, tou-san. Dark magic is only trouble if it's inside me." She bowed deeply to the Asgardian warriors, despite her unease with their hero-worship. "To have the esteem of one so high is an honor. I will bear Eitislief proudly, and turn it's gift against the foes of both our worlds."

~oOo~

Night was falling when the party split up; Thor and friends to see New York and Kagome and her friends taking the patio.

Tony shut the door to their bedroom and reached for Pepper, pulling her close.

"I'm a sucker for a happy ending," she murmured into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'm trying to be happy for her," he said quietly, leaning his head against hers.

"It will come, in time. Until then, I'm here." And knowing he suffered, she reached for him, let him bury himself in her; body and heart, his shelter from pain.

* * *

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Megingjarpar- Thor's belt, also called the Girdle of Might. The giantess Grid made it. It increases Thor's strength tenfold.

Vanaheim, Alfhiem, and Niflheim: other worlds on the tree. Vanaheim is the home of the Vanir, the light gods (The Aesir are considered the dark gods, though not evil- i.e. Odin is the god of oathbreakers, for he considered his oath of less import than preventing Ragnarok). Alfheim is the home of the Light Elves. Niflheim is the realm of ice and the dead; also called Hel after the goddess bound to it by Odin in an attempt to stop Ragnarok. Hel is Loki's daughter and full sister to the Midgard Serpent and the Fenrir wolf.

'The Fellowship'- Since these are the same legends Tolkien used to base his story and it's pantheon on, I couldn't resist the reference.

Drauptnir- a ring of power that regularly spawned nine gold rings of it's exact quality and weight. It was cursed, and Odin made it a funerary offering.

Eitisleif- Eiti's Heirloom. My own creation.


	68. All Together Now

Chapter Sixty-Eight

_All Together Now_

* * *

The four friends sat in a rough semicircle next to the glass wall looking out over the city. Sango leaned against Miroku, and Inuyasha surreptitiously commandeered Kagome's hand, hiding it under the wide-legged slouchy jeans he wore.

"What about Kirara and Shippou?" Kagome had worried quite a bit about Shippou since her return.

Sango gave a melancholy smile. "Kirara decided it was time to go with Kohaku. He devoted himself to working as a taijiya, trying to make up for the sins of his past. Shippou was tempted to come, but in the end he stayed with the school we found. He said you would understand the importance of education."

Kagome felt the gentle pressure of Inu- no, Takeo's hand squeezing her own. She smiled and nodded, accepting the kitsune's decision. He'd been fondest of Miroku; for him to separate from the houshi that easily must have meant he was maturing.

Miroku confirmed that with his next words. "Actually, just as we were gathering to leave, he came by to give me something for Kagome-sama. Our little friend was working on a second tail, I am happy to say." He reached inside his robe and pulled out Shippou's top, handing it over to the saddened miko.

"He used this to protect me when we first met." She held it close to her heart. "I hope he got to be the strongest kitsune in the school's history."

"Keh. Little bastard better have, leaving his family for a gods-be-damned school." Takeo grumped. He'd become fond of the kit, and considered his defection a personal slight.

Miroku shook his head, understanding his upset but not wanting to ruin the night. "Kagome-sama, you haven't asked about our dear Takeo-sama's name change."

She ducked her head, smiling sheepishly. "I keep calling him Inuyasha in my thoughts."

The one in question snorted. "It's a good name. Had it for a long time, no point in changing it."

Sango laughed, "Only you... all the boys I knew wanted to lose their childish names." She shifted, turning more towards Kagome. "Myoga-jiji came to the village a week after the well disappeared, raving about Inuyasha's prowess and the Inu-no-Tashio's blood running true. Inuyasha just flicked him off and left. So we told Myoga that Inuyasha had to leave you in the future.

"He teared up, finding out what happened to you, Kagome. But then he disappeared for several days again, only to show up with Totosai. They grabbed Inuyasha without a word to anyone, and took off. Three days passed with no word, until Totosai dropped by again and told us that Lord Takeo had come into his inheritance."

Miroku sniggered. "Of course, we had no idea who he was talking about till Inuyasha made his way back and Myoga-sama kept calling him Takeo-dono, the perfect prince of the Setsuna family. Then Thor-kami-sama came along with the offer to rejoin you, and told him he needed a family name."

"Setsunamaru, the perfect son of Setsuna," Kagome smiled. "It fits."


	69. Day Tripper

Chapter Sixty-Nine

_Day Tripper_

* * *

"Keh." He turned away, not quite hiding the flush on his cheeks. "It's pretentious. Stupid Myoga." His face soured, like he'd bit into a lemon. "And these two won't drop it."

Kagome smiled, hearing affection under the bluster. She'd missed nights like this these past couple of months, with the familiar camaraderie. She slipped her hand into Inuyasha's, interlacing their fingers. "I'm still in awe that Thor-sama was able to travel to the past and bring you back."

"It scared us, and everyone in the village, actually," Sango replied. "Miroku and I were doing laundry when suddenly Takeo," she looked to the suspiciously pink-faced hanyou and grinned at his discomfort, "took off at a run. Miroku sensed black magic, so we followed. The well was completely engulfed in darkness, so Miroku immediately started trying to contain it." Relenting on her teasing, she nodded to the hanyou. "Inuyasha called out for him to stop though, and pulled Tessaiga. So we all prepared to fight whatever was coming through."

"Imagine our surprise to find one of the kami using your well." Miroku smiled in remembrance and, with a glance over to his friend, decided Sango was right. He'd been through enough teasing today. "Inuyasha challenged him, and they clashed. It was an even match for the most part, until the winds built up around Tessaiga. Thor-sama must have sensed it, for he called out for us to desist before he called a storm, and that he was a friend bringing word of you." Violet eyes crinkled in amusement. "Kagome-sama, you are very talented at finding the unusual, aren't you?"

She blushed. "It's not like I knew anything about gods, aliens, or heroes in another country. I was busy with our quest and trying to graduate and not shame my family. I didn't even bother trying to keep up with world news. And Mama only told me about Father when people started following me and watching the house."

She didn't see the pained look in Inuyasha's eyes, but Miroku did. _I sympathize..._ he looked to his beautiful slayer. _Should she be troubled, or someone threaten her... I truly am a fallen monk. But what heaven of the Buddha can compare to being in my beloved's heart?_ He pulled the conversation back on track. "Once we heard Thor-sama's tale, we decided to come to help you, as you once came to us."

Sango grinned, adding, "But not without gathering what we would need. I left the originals with Kohaku, but we copied all the records of my people. I also gathered enough supplies to keep my armor and weapons in shape, and outfit a dozen more slayers. Kaede and Miroku obtained an entire library dealing with the training of both Buddhist and Shinto magic users. Kaede also sent along the plants and seeds you'll need for your garden. We just need to find a good spot, and we'll have everything we need for a shrine, temple, and the beginnings of a new taijiya village."


	70. Because

Chapter Seventy

_Because_

* * *

"That's wonderful!" Kagome enthused. "I've been filling the Avengers in on what you told me about various youkai, but I didn't know how to train them and they're set on learning taijiya skills. Two of them have large amounts of ki, but it's blocked. There's an assassin... oh, shinobi-" She broke off at seeing three smug grins.

"You will not have to explain everything anymore, Kagome-sama. The Mead of Poetry is strong magic," Miroku said. "It not only gives command of all the languages spoken in the tree, but also the knowledge of the wisest god among Thor-sama's brethren. It has made adjusting to this time much easier."

"We weren't allowed to come to you when we first came through. These two and Kaede-baaba kept coming up with more stuff they absolutely _needed_, so it took several days to get everything through the well and crated," Inuyasha ran his thumb along hers, soothing the both of them. "The bakagami made us stop a lot, too. Your mother would take us out to different places, so we'd get used to your shrine and the city."

"But once the plane landed here, Inuyasha didn't let anyone slow him down." Sango made a mou of distaste. "I miss Kirara... at least my ears didn't hurt flying with her." She yawned suddenly, blushing as she covered her mouth. "Sorry. Did you know we landed almost the same time we took off? Timekeeping here is strange."

"Perhaps we should wait until tomorrow to hear what is happening, so we have clear minds to plan with." Miroku stood, extending a hand to Sango and pulling her up.

Inuyasha did the same for Kagome, and they filed back into the penthouse. Kagome thought of something, then. "Sango-chan, Thor-sama said you were engaged. I thought you were getting married immediately?"

Miroku's face twisted. "We married, but kami-sama said it wouldn't be recognized here."

JARVIS spoke up. "Miss Kagome, the United States recognizes any marriage made by legitimate foreign standards as being legal and binding."

Interpreting Inuyasha's alert stance, she quickly introduced them. "That was JARVIS. He was created by Father to take care of the house. He monitors the whole building, so if you need anything, or have questions, just ask out loud. Father, Pepper, and I all carry a link to him as well, which is good, since he saved my life."

Inuyasha turned to her. "What happened?"

"Ah... when Father introduced me, some of the press separated me from Thor-sama and I tried to escape in the elevator. Someone cut the power, so JARVIS called for help and I was rescued just before the elevator fell."

"Mr. Setsunamaru, Thor retrieved her as the elevator began falling. The perpetrators who survived are awaiting trial. There have been assurances from the District Attorney that they will be prosecuted to the furthest extent of the law."

Inuyasha looked to Kagome. "I think I'm going to like this JARVIS. No more of your half-stories."

She glared at the ceiling. "Traitor!"

* * *

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'Tis true. On certain flights you will arrive in the U.S. about four minutes before you left Japan. Talk about time-traveling!

(Yes, I go so far as to check plane tickets in my research. Facts can be so much more fun than imagination.)


	71. Words of Love

Chapter Seventy-One

_Words of Love_

* * *

After showing the couple to a room, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. He took her hand and pulled her close to him, burying his nose in her hair. They remained that way for several minutes, before pulling back and looking at each other. "I've missed you," she softly admitted.

"Don't tell the bouzo, but I've been trying to get back through the well ever since you've been gone. Everything reminded me of you... Goshinboku, the lightning struck pine you sat me out of, hell, even Rin sometimes did things that brought you to mind." He pulled her close. "I really missed your scent."

Her face became downcast. "I'm sorry. I was so afraid of waking up inside the void again I couldn't bring myself to use the well. I'm such a coward."

"I didn't know what the jewel was doing to you, but when the spirits kept us apart, I knew it had to be bad. I'll tell you exactly what I told them. The _only_ fate _I_ want is the one with you beside me."

"Even if I'm a coward?"

"Keh. When we first really fought _together_, against that comb used to steal the souls of the dead-"

"Yura?"

"Yeah, the freaky bitch obsessed with my hair. I kept wondering when you were going to throw some spoiled noblewoman's tantrum, but instead you took the fallen samurai's bow and swore you would practice from then on. I thought then that you were pretty useless, but you had guts." She blushed, but didn't raise her head. "Well, someone who had never fought in their life would usually be pretty useless, but not you. I was wrong that day. You had guts, and were _any_thing but useless."

"But why did you think I'd demand to go home?" she looked into his eyes and saw a rare smile cross his face.

"Kagome, compare your house and the fancy food you were eating to the village. I thought you were extraordinarily wealthy for the longest time."

"And now that I _am_ the daughter of a rich man?"

"You aren't the only one with land and titles outworld. We all received them. And, with Thor's help, I pulled a Kongousouha in an old diamond mine I purchased overseas. Between the two of us, the diamonds look completely natural now."

She could imagine what the two of them had done. "It's so strange hearing modern speech from you. _I_ don't feel smarter since drinking that awful mead."

He smugly let a bit of fang slip his smile. "Don't worry, if you purified it too quickly, I can help you with your math."

"Jerk." She hit his shoulder, but looked up at him with laughing eyes.

"Oi, woman. Abusing your boyfriend like that."

She blinked rapidly to keep back the tears. "I like how that sounds."

He gently ran his hand through her hair. "You must be exhausted. Let's put you to bed."

"Inuyasha... will you?"

"When will you understand? My place is by your side, always."

* * *

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A little sweetness...

Updates may be late in the day during the summer. I get heat sick very easily (it's well over 100 degrees here), even with just a quick run over to use the Internet, so I'm not getting out till the sun starts going down. :)


	72. You're Going To Lose That Girl

Chapter Seventy-Two

_You're Going To Lose That Girl_

* * *

Tony woke up the whole penthouse the next day when he found Takeo's room unused and JARVIS informed him of the hanyou's whereabouts. "Oh no, unh uh. That will not be happening under my roof. JARVIS, send prototypes eleven through sixteen."

"Sir, that is a bit of an overreaction. I have moni-"

"Right. It will be more satisfying to do this myself." Tuning out JARVIS's protestations, he hit his cufflinks and the Mark Ten shot through the house, swerving through the doorways until it reached him and enclosed his body. Once his hands were protected, he smashed through Kagome's door.

Inuyasha leapt to his feet when the armor broke through, drawing his sword and charging up a Kaze no Kizu. Kagome came awake, flashing back to the battle with Naraku and the Jewel. She threw a barrier around herself and Inuyasha, and set herself to run for her bow before finally waking up enough to recognize her father. Blinking sleepily, she let the barrier disappear.

"Tou-san? She yawned, then frowned as she took in the damage to her room. "An attack?"

Ears flicked before Inuyasha asked, "That thing's your father?"

JARVIS cut in. "My apologies, Miss Kagome, Mr. Setsunamaru. I believe I was misunderstood. Sir, I was trying to inform you that Mr. Setsunamaru had spent the night in Miss Kagome's room, but that he did so to guard her."

"Tou-san? You didn't think...?" Hurt, she looked over to Inuyasha, who had sheathed his sword and was looking away from the two of them. She could immediately tell Inuyasha was upset by her father's assumption from the set of his ears.

"Get out," she said, aura crackling with anger. "Inuyasha has honor, otou-san. _He_ doesn't sleep with every woman he meets. He would _never_ shame me or compromise my honor."

Tony flipped up the faceplate and tried to ameliorate the situation. "Kagome, Takeo, I-"

Temper rapidly cooling and leaving her empty, she turned away from him and stared at a painting she'd decided looked like a mango drenched in dokkasu.

"Otou-san," she said quietly, "I've paid attention to people here in America. Everyone says whatever they think will get the result they want. But that you..." She shook her head. "You still don't understand, do you? I am Japanese, not American. My _word_ means everything to me. My _duty_ means everything to me. I have a duty to you, to become the best heir I can become. But the gods put Inuyasha in my path before I even knew of you, and to him I promised to stay by his side, always."

She held in the tears that threatened to spill. "I think that my friends and I should return to Tokyo. The youkai will follow me, and Inuyasha has always kept me safe. Sango and Miroku are excellent warriors, and can deal with humans and youkai. I promise to study hard and be a credit to your name."

Tony stood there, frozen, feeling like his heart had just shattered.

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Ah, that Stark impulsive streak... but some good will come from this.


	73. Young Blood

Chapter Seventy-Three

_Young Blood_

* * *

When she moved towards her closet, Tony broke out of the paralysis. He began to step forward, opening his mouth to protest when Takeo shook his head. He held up his hands in surrender, and backed out of the room.

Pepper was in the hall, and looked pretty steamed herself. "Pepper, he-"

"Slept sitting up beside her bed, though he was awake most of the night, keeping watch like he promised as her protector. If you had listened to JARVIS and not gone off half-cocked you would have known that."

"Yara, yara. What a way to begin a beautiful day." Miroku shook his head as he and Sango walked toward the couple. "Sango, my heart, I believe we have found where Kagome got that impulsive streak of hers."

"An immediate assumption, hurt feelings, instant action, followed by quick regret and an overboard apology. That's Kagome." Sango's words were chorused by Pepper's, "That's Tony."

"Ah." The mischievous monk grinned at the armored billionaire. "No doubt who her sire is, at least. So now we'll go to the living room and give our host an education on the subjects of beautiful, young Japanese ladies and gruff, but emotionally delicate, inuhanyou."

"Takeo, emo-"

Sango shook her head. "He can hear us quite clearly. Miroku may get away with saying that, but not you, especially not now. You are speaking of someone who has been fending for himself and dodging assassination attempts by both humans and youkai since he was around five years old."

~oOo~

Inuyasha went to Kagome, able to smell the tears she was barely holding in. Hesitantly, his old fears of being hurt if he had the audacity to touch a human woman resurging, he lightly lay his fingers on her shoulder and was surprised when she turned into him, pressing her face against his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his waist. Relaxing a little, he enfolded her in his arms and held her, not saying a word.

His ears twitched at the conversation in the hall, but he pretty much ignored them for now... except for a mumbled "Bouzu's gonna regret that comment later." Kagome giggled at that, fingers stroking the soft fur of his fire rat.

"I didn't remember to tell you yesterday, but I like the new look."

"Your mother's work. She didn't want me to be defenseless, but said the suikan was too long to be worn with jeans or slacks. I told her that however she cut and re-pieced it, my youki would mend the tears, so she remade it into a coat."

"I'm sorry about my father-"

"Eh. Nothing to be sorry about. He was protecting you."

"He hurt you, with his mistrust-" Her cell rang, the ringtone the one she'd programmed for the shrine, and Inuyasha let her go so she could answer it.

"Hey, sis! I got to stay up late so I could tell you I got tonight's winning goal! Three to two... hey, are you crying? Jeez-"

"Kagome, what's wrong?"

"Mama..."

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To those who thought Kagome acted out of character last chapter... I admit, she wouldn't _normally_ say stuff like that. However, she was woken by an attack, had suffered a flashback, and just had the guy who's soul had just bonded to hers yesterday insulted. The manga shows she's got a temper and a sharply sarcastic wit that she keeps to herself (it only shows in her thoughts usually)... so she just didn't engage her filter before she spoke.

As canon doesn't have a lot about Inuyasha's past, I have made one up. We'll be getting into it the next few chapters.


	74. This Boy

Chapter Seventy-Four

_This Boy_

* * *

Tony stepped out of the armor and flopped down on the couch, trying to wrap his mind around Sango's words. "How does a five-year-old survive, on his own, with assassins after him?"

Sango regarded Tony solemnly, seeing that the morning's confrontation had him worried. Choosing her words carefully, she began, knowing that Inuyasha could hear her as she told them the story recorded by the taijiya clans.

"Inuyasha was born of a noblewoman and one of the strongest youkai of the Heian era. This union was rare. Had a common woman taken a youkai lover, she would become a pariah; to be stoned, abused, even sold as a slave if the headman ordered it.

"But Izayoi-hime-sama's grandfather made her part of a treaty. Inu-no-Tashio-sama would aid the Setsuna clan and, along with other concessions, a noblewomen of the main house would be given as wife to him until the next was of age."

"That's-" Pepper was puzzled and slightly disgusted.

Miroku shook his head. "Youkai live a long time, and none would wish to take care of an elderly human. Marriage was required because of her social standing... a fifth-rank princess was not given as a concubine."

"But that tells us nothing about the assassins." Tony tried to get them back on point.

Sango smiled... he reminded her of a five-year-old Kohaku. "Since she was doing her family's will by becoming the Dog General's wife, afterwards she could have returned to her father's house with no stain upon her honor. A suitable marriage would have been arranged, and nothing more would have come of it. But, the unthinkable happened... she fell in love with him and did not terminate the pregnancy when she found out about it."

Ignoring the gasp from Pepper, Sango continued, "The chronicler speculated that since the inuyoukai clans had not opposed the alliance, the General thought there was a chance for their daring to turn out well. However, the clans reviled his choice to keep the child. Hanyou were looked down upon by both humans and youkai, and the Inu-no-Tashio was challenged nonstop over siring one, even by his own family. A dragon of terrible power took advantage of the constant battles, and fatally wounded him. The General managed to seal the dragon away, though, and used the last of his strength to defeat the human army holding Izayoi-hime-sama hostage. He died in the flames after rescuing her and naming his son.

"So Izayoi-sama returned to her family, but in disgrace." Sango kept watching the hallway, knowing that if Inuyasha was listening, she was prodding some very painful memories. "She was a noblewoman, though, and that kept her and her son from being killed outright. However she was banished to a small, poor estate in the country. The neglect and harshness of existence there took her health, and she died early one winter.

"Inuyasha was abandoned. The great-grandfather who had set up the alliance was dead, and the new head of the family never acknowledged him."

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I've never finished the _Tale of Genji_, but from what I remember, this would be a logical punishment for a princess who had lost her honor in that time period.

Factoid... Women rarely made it to their 27th birthday in the Heian era. Those who did were considered to be very old.

It's my birthday so I'll publish early in the morning if I want to! Made myself a pineapple cake and am dealing with a slight sugar rush. Pineapple cake mix, a large can of crushed pineapple, and rum extract, with a buttercream icing. Yum! I invented this recipe in about five minutes and am extremely happy with the results. If you want to try it but need more directions, PM me!


	75. Tell Me Why

Chapter Seventy-Five

_Tell Me Why_

* * *

"So his human family just threw him out?" Pepper couldn't believe the harshness of people towards a child that was blameless for his birth. "A child?"

Miroku and Sango looked at each other, nodding. "Life was hard, and pity for Buddha and his servants. Unless you were a credit to your family, obedient and useful, then you weren't worth the money to feed and clothe you and were disposed of. Sold to traveling procurers or, if you could not be trusted, killed."

"And hanyou are below eta to most humans and youkai." Inuyasha stalked through the living room, ears telegraphing his anger and distress. "Kagome's on the phone with her mom. I'm going for a run." The door closed on his last words, and Pepper shrieked as he took a running jump off the building.

Miroku chuckled while Sango tried to sooth her.

Tony raised his brow, "So, it's perfectly natural for Takeo to leap off of skyscrapers? Like some sort of Superman-in-training exercise? And what's eta?"

Miroku shook his head. "Saa. I don't know this Superman. But like the yama inu, the wild mountain dogs, he can control the wind. Inuyasha cannot fly like his elder brother, but he can run the wind for short distances and use it to gain altitude with his jumps." He grimaced, this part of the conversation distasteful. "Eta... they are the unclean, the death-handlers. So despised there is no penalty for killing one." Seeing Tony understood, he changed the subject.

"Now, Inuyasha was abandoned when Izayoi-sama died, in early winter, too late to store up food. From what I've inferred from Myouga-sama's tales, he and the fire rat robe Inuyasha wears are the only things that kept our friend alive that terrible season."

"Fire rat?" Tony asked incredulously, getting a mental picture of fire-spitting rats running around the sewers.

Sango nodded. "His coat. It protects him from fire and is stronger than human-made armor. It was one of the treasures of Kaguya-hime. Her story is told in _The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter_."

Pepper brightened, "Oh, I read that as part of an international folklore elective. The robe of the fire rat, Buddha's cup, something from the swallows... there was more too. I always wondered what her life was like after she'd left for the moon."

A voice from the back answered for Sango. "She was devoured by a youkai. Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippou and I killed her when she stopped time in an effort to return to earth. She was going to devour me for my powers as well, of course." Kagome came into the room and sat across from a wincing Tony.

"I am still angry. But Mama reminded me that adults couldn't run from their problems... and I'm guilty of doing that all too often." Kagome looked at her folded hands for a moment. "I think you really need to listen to some more, otou-san, before I tell my side of the story. Miroku, would you and Sango mind?"

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One thing you'll never find me writing about is humans eating red meat during the warring-states era. Buddhist doctrine prevailed, and that rabbit could be your next incarnation. If you remember, when the gang wasn't eating Kagome's futuristic food, they ate fish, lizards, and snakes. I bring this up because people who dealt in death were eta... from the people who washed the dead to leatherworkers and tanners. They were not considered fully human (A magistrate in 1859 decided they were only worth one-seventh of an ordinary person... wikipedia) and there were no penalties for injuring, stealing from, or killing them. The modern term is burakumin, and to this day they are still campaigning to be treated like ordinary Japanese people.

If you want to find out more about eta and the last years of the samurai domination of Japan, I highly recommend Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro series. It's a detective series set in Edo in the 1600s and is one of my favorites, as she really did her research.


	76. The Long And Winding Road

Chapter Seventy-Six

_The Long And Winding Road_

* * *

Miroku smiled at the young priestess, proud that she wasn't running away again, even if it was because she'd spoken to her mother. "Of course, Kagome-sama."

Pepper looked worried though. "I know it's late to think of this, but he seems like a private person... should you be telling us about him like this?"

"Inuyasha knew his history would come up, and asked us to speak for him," Miroku replied, "since he knew he could not." He accepted her small smile as encouragement to begin again. "We were talking about that first winter. As Myoga-sama told me, until Inuyasha learned basic hunting skills, he would drain an animal of blood until it became lethargic enough for Inuyasha to catch. In addition, his animal friends would alert them when other people were around."

Sango took up the narrative,"I didn't know about Myoga's role. The chronicles only recorded that after the head of the house found out Inuyasha survived the winter, he sent assassins after him, but none were successful. He died seven years later, and the next head simply ignored Inuyasha's existence, saying that there was no record of a child of that name born to the Setsuna family."

Now Kagome spoke up. "You see, otou-san, that set the pattern for Inuyasha's life for the next century and more. Humans drove Inuyasha off from villages for being youkai, youkai thought it was great fun to try to kill him. His elder brother even claimed his life... at one point sending a poisoned hand through his abdomen and out his back. I thought we were going to lose him for sure that time, but he's strong.

"And not just strong physically... even after a life like this, and the betrayal of his first love, Inuyasha protected me. Not willingly at first, it's true, but he gradually learned I could be trusted. And when he did, he began putting my safety above his own." She looked at her hands, tightly clasped in her lap. "He has been looked down on for his birth so long, but it's really what makes him so incredible. He has the strength of a youkai's protecting arm and instincts, and the human heart to direct it."

Rubbing his face, Tony was wondering if he felt more like a complete asshole, or a kicked dog. He had a sinking feeling he was in need of a barn. "And that heart-?"

"Is mine," she softly said; knowing it to be true, as she had since the last battle. The specter of Kikyou had been banished from her heart the moment he'd jumped into the meidou to save _her_. "Just as mine is his. He has always rejected what people have claimed was his fate, refusing to be bound to someone else's expectations. Yet when he came after me, to save me from Naraku's treachery, he told the malicious spirits bound inside the jewel that the only fate he would accept would be the one that kept him at my side."


	77. Fixing A Hole

Chapter Seventy-Seven

_Fixing A Hole_

* * *

Breakfast was quiet that morning, with only Pepper's worry about the five Aesir spurring any more interest in conversations. Tony simply pointed out the lack of news coverage about them, casually saying that meant New York was still safe and sound. Miroku chuckled and looked to his wife fondly as he caught the dirty look Pepper gave their host.

Tony was right though, as the five plus one more came roaring in an hour later.

"Truly," Thor drunkenly grinned as the Warriors Three _attempted_ a three part harmony, "Midgard has become quite proficient at the brewing of alcohol. The tequila especially was most entertaining. Oh," he said, spinning around -staggering as he did- looking for someone. "And we found a friend on the way back. I believe Sif was asking him about the prohibition on tavern brawling-"

Tony thought that maybe the higher power/deity he hadn't quite brought himself to believe in yet may have finally given him a break. Speaking intensely with the warrior-lady was the one person he'd wanted to see since this whole mess began. He arrowed through the crowd, threw his arms around his sci-bro, then pushed away, straightening back up and coughing.

"Missed me that much?" Bruce asked, seeing the stress in Tony's face. "Although with that welcome, I feel I need to reassure Pepper that you're not my type."

"Bruce, my penthouse is filled with five aliens, four time-travelers, three women, and my _daughter-_ who just so happens to wield alternative science almost as easily as she breathes. Two scientists are exactly what is needed here."

Thinking of the big _green_ guy inside him, Bruce wryly replied, "I guess being a turtle dove is better than being the pear tree all the birds defecate on. But what's this about time-travel? It's been proven to be impossible."

Lifting an eyebrow, Tony wished he could agree. "Apparently alternative science can ignore basic physics; we'll have to have a long discussion on that. JARVIS, do we have any more rooms?"

"Yes sir, as it seems Mr. Setsunamaru will likely continue his habit. Ms. Aiko stated he has done so the past year, and now with their bond-"

Tony pulled his hand down his face, quietly mumbling so the girls couldn't hear, "Yeah. Got that. Even understand it, God help me. Still don't care to hear about it." At Bruce's quizzical look, he sighed. "I'll explain everything later. Blue room's yours.

"Now, for introductions- you know Pepper and it seems you know Five For Fighting over there, so there's just four more. This is my beautiful and talented daughter Kagome, who has been helping me out with my alternative science experiments."

Bruce bowed, greeting her in halting Japanese. Kagome reciprocated with a smile of pleasure.

"And these are Kagome's friends, Sango and Miroku. Thor brought them forward approximately five hundred years to help with a liiittle problem. Kagome is a Shinto priestess, Sango is an exterminator, and Miroku is a Buddhist monk... all of them expert demon slayers."

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Five For Fighting- A band who has no clue Tony just punned with their name.


	78. I've Just Seen A Face

Chapter Seventy-Eight

_I've Just Seen A Face_

* * *

"Demons? Tony, you're putting me on, right?" Bruce just stared at him, willing the jokester to start laughing.

Digging his hands into his hair, Tony started speaking rapidly. "Bruce, _you_ turn into a big green rage monster. Spangles survived being frozen _seventy_ years. _Every_ ancient religion in the world makes mention of non-human entities-"

"Okay, okay, I get your point. Breathe, Tony." Bruce worried, able to _feel_ the anxiety pouring off his friend.

Tony tried to calm down. He hadn't realized just how much he needed someone who could both keep up with his intellect and understand his reactions. "I am... just... glad you're here-"

Kagome and Miroku both turned to look out the window at the same time, then Kagome sprinted for her room while Miroku called for Sango to grab Hiraikotsu.

"What's going on?" Bruce questioned as Tony hit his cufflinks for the second time that day.

"We've got wounded," Kagome called out as she dashed out the door, bow and quiver on her back and large paramedic's med kit in hand.

Knowing Bruce had to be lost, Tony clapped the physicist on the shoulder and grinned. "Think of this as a crash course in alternative science, Stark-style."

~oOo~

Inuyasha barely made the rooftop, thanks to his injuries and burden. Releasing the unconscious human, who landed almost face-down on the roof, he sat down himself; getting the weight off his heavily injured legs. With relief, he felt Kagome's presence rushing towards him. She'd shown him the medic's kit her father had bought her, and this time he wasn't going protest... whatever he'd been attacked with was worse than dragonfire.

When she came flying out, he motioned over to the bloody mess of a man first. "I'll live, but if whatever they got me with hit him, _he _won't."

Kagome frowned, but took his word. She could smell cooked flesh, and the quicker she took care of the human, the faster she could get to Inuyasha.

She was a complete novice at using her powers in healing, but she wanted to at least try to sense his injuries before she dared to move him. From the amount of blood and the awkward positioning of his arm, she was sure he had several broken bones and the possibility of internal injuries.

Laying a hand on his back, she sent her powers through him; trying to sense his physical body rather than his spiritual one. It was murky, but she sensed the blood flow going wrong in his abdomen. "Call 911! He's bleeding inside, and I don't know enough about healing to help! And someone needs to watch him while I take care of Inuyasha."

"LifeFlight's on it's way. Shouldn't be more than five minutes. I'll take him, you go check Takeo." Tony knelt next to the body, willing the guy to hang on till the helicopter arrived. Careful not to move him, he sank down lower until he could see the man's face... and his breath caught in his throat.

"Rhodie!"

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Just as a heads up, I have lost the use of my laptop. The AC adapter caught fire, and I'm not going to get another cheap Chinese part (I was lucky I was awake when the one I had self-destructed). It will take a while to get another adapter, as I don't have an income presently. I have 87 chapters written, so I'll keep updating until I run out. I'm trying to write it out longhand, but it's not really working as I can't reference my notes and files.

So, in short, this story may have to take a short hiatus, but I am doing my best to try to prevent it.


	79. Take Care Of My Baby

Chapter Seventy-Nine

_Take Care Of My Baby_

* * *

"Miroku!" Kagome shouted over her father's pleas for his friend to hang on, "Can you hide the two of us before the medics show up? I need to start cutting away the dead flesh now! They won't understand." Without a word, Miroku pulled out his stack of sutra and began chanting.

Bruce looked to the boy Kagome was helping; his legs were a disaster. Blood-tinged fluid seeped through seared tissues and long lengths of bone showed; burnt, peeled, and splintered. The overwhelming smell of roasted meat turned his stomach. "He needs to go-"

"I ain't full human," the boy almost growled, voice gruff with pain. "Kagome's the best choice. I trust her... she's even held my shredded guts together until my youki kicked in."

"Can I offer my help, at least?"

An instant of silent communication passed between the two. "Father trusts you, but it's better if you just assist me. Wounded youkai are dangerous, so don't touch him and remain as quiet and still as you can so Miroku's shield works."

"Understood."

Miroku's barrier shimmered into place just as the _whap, whap_ of rotor blades was heard. While the medics worked frantically over Rhodie, Bruce anticipated each of Kagome's needs, fascinated at the brutal treatment that worked so well on her patient.

That the only noise from him was an occasional pained grunt was mind-blowing.

Working quickly, with obviously well-practiced strokes, she sliced away the dead flesh, even scraping away the areas of roasted bone before pouring a thick liquid in the open wounds and tightly wrapping his legs with hand-woven bandages... something he hadn't seen outside third-world countries. "Linen?" he whispered.

"Hemp woven with special herbs. The unguent is based on honey, herbs, and cloves... occasionally manufactured products can cause adverse reactions with youkai."

She checked Inuyasha's legs once more, happy with his gruff assurance she'd gotten everything, before tackling his hands. "Have you got yourself under control?"

"Yeah, just hurry. I'm losing feeling."

She kept up a running commentary for Bruce as she cleaned Inuyasha's hands, using the conversation to keep her tears at bay. "This is Takeo Setsunamaru, known to his friends as Inuyasha. He's half inuyoukai and half human, and all mine." She gave a wobbly smile to the open-mouthed hanyou, surprising the both of them with that statement. "In normal medicine, you'd go for the hands first. But since his instincts are stronger than a human's, without the proof I was helping him and not making it worse, he would have been on the defensive as soon as I touched his hands."

"Because of the high concentration of nerves?"

She gave a sharp nod, wrapping up the last finger on his sword arm. Inuyasha handed over his left hand without a word, his lack of protest telling her how bad he was.

Bruce used a pair of forceps to pick up a length of fabric Kagome had cut away and carefully took a sniff, immediately recognizing the scent. "You survived a hit of napalm?"

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Napalm is basically thickened gasoline, although it's a bit more scientific than that. The horror of it is that it sticks to you and doesn't stop burning, which makes it excellent for youkai to use against sutra, don't you think? While it is still used in war and certain other circumstances, the United Nations has declared it a crime to use napalm against the civilian population.

The unguent described is actually one I like to use for shallow wounds. Honey is a natural antibacterial, and cloves are antibacterial, antifungal, and have a pleasant numbing effect. I won't say anything more about it, including the herbs, because even if it is made from plants and honey, it is still medicine and should not be made or used by people unless you are advised to by a certified homeopathic practitioner.

Tidbit: A small part of the US pharmacopeia still uses plants, as some substances cannot be safely synthesized. Drug research is also delving back into traditional medicine, finding value in the old ways of healing.


	80. You Really Got A Hold On Me

Chapter Eighty

_You Really Got A Hold On Me_

* * *

"If that's what you call it. Wouldn't stop burning after it hit... stuff's worse than dragon's breath." Inuyasha breathed a bit easier as the anesthetic properties of the cloves and herbs put a dent in the pain. The bandages helped the most, shielding bone and flesh from the chilly winds.

"You've been burned by dragons?" Bruce asked flatly, his long held beliefs taking a beating.

"Killed a couple, including the one that took down my old man. Kagome, they've taken out almost half your sutra. Just a couple more and the barrier will be down... and they'll be coming here first." He quietly sighed as she finished wrapping his hand, and shook his head when she asked about any other injuries.

"As soon as the paramedics take Rhodie and are out of sight, Miroku will drop the barrier and we can make plans. Will you take a pain draught? No opium, so you'll still be alert. It's one of Kaede's." She took it out, ignoring the stubborn set to his face. "Right. I don't care how tough you are, you're taking it. It's going to hurt when we move you inside, and no, I'm not letting you walk anywhere until most of that muscle grows back."

Faced with a stubborn Kagome, a kotodama-enchanted necklace, and the fact that his legs and hands were in agony, he swallowed the disgusting liquid quickly, wishing for some water to wash away the taste. It was a relief when the helicopter took off, and Miroku let down the barrier.

Standing, Kagome ran over to Tony. "Tou-san, youkai are using napalm to break my barrier. You've got to-" she swayed, crumpling to the ground.

"Kagome!" Tony yelled, scooping her up.

Miroku went over and coaxed Tony into letting him take her. Shifting her carefully, he filled Tony in. "Leave her with me. It's just the backlash from her barrier being knocked down, she'll come to soon. You need to go stop the youkai. They're on their way here, and they _will_ kill everyone in their path."

"That's what happened to Rhodie and Takeo?" Tony clenched his fists. "I'll go take care of them. When she wakes up tell her she's got a hell of a lot of explaining to do." Turning to the group of Asgardians, he held out his arms. "Who needs a lift?"

Sif grinned. "Count me in!" she declared, along with the others, except, unexpectedly, for Thor.

"I will help take you all down, but someone must stay with Pepper and Lady Kagome, now that Prince Takeo is injured."

Tony held out his hand to Thor. "Thanks. For taking care of them, you know."

"It is my honor and privilege," Thor replied, clasping arms gravely.

It didn't take long for Tony to get uncomfortable, so he grinned and beckoned to Sif and Hogun. "I'll take these two, you take Gimli and Shakespeare. Time's a-wasting, Goldilocks... spin up that thornado of yours and lets go show some youkai just who they're messing with."

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My thanks to Thornado, who's name I stole.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiers on ABC Sept. 24th! Phil's back!

September should not be over 106 degrees F. That's 42+ degrees in Celsius. I adore my air conditioner.


	81. Sea Of Monsters

Chapter Eighty-One

_Sea Of Monsters_

* * *

True to his word, Thor dropped Volstagg and Fandral off before heading back up the tower. There were some civilian casualties already, though not as many as Tony feared. JARVIS had not only called the authorities, but the offices in every building in the areas affected by the blasts, invoking Coulson's Law.

Sif and Hogun watched approvingly as some of the braver souls hauled pedestrians inside before barring their doors. Inspired by their bravery, Hogun hefted his katana and went after the closest knot of youkai, while Tony gave Sif a quick rundown on his agenda.

"You and the warriors get to play with our fire-happy friends first. After the Manhattan Invasion, we pushed through some new safety laws. Businesses have to lock down, and people on the street have to head for shelters during attacks. I'm going to make sure the streets are cleared, then I'll be back."

"Sharp blade, swift flight, Man of Iron."

"Uh, yeah. Sharp blade and all that to you." Tony shook his head as she grinned and enthusiastically joined Hogun in battle. Warrior societies were so weird.

~oOo~

Speeding through the streets, he got a few more people to safety, then went for altitude. Looking over the city, he was amazed at the sheer number of youkai in the streets. _And we've been living side by side with them all along..._

"Sir, by my calculations, they're all heading to Stark Tower."

"Then let's see if Kagome was right."

"Sir?"

"Cue music, JARVIS." With AC/DC drowning out the sounds of JARVIS's protests, he banked and shot the Gallagher down the street. Youkai went flying, their screeches of pain barely muted by the music pounding in his ears. He set it off one more time, watching the readings on the screen. "Well, looks like that juice was just a loaner."

"I agree, sir. It also seems as though each discharge wears away at the core of your reactor as well. I estimate three more shots before you start losing significant levels of power. A fourth shot would most definitely impact your flight capabilities."

"That's fine. One Stark with holy powers is scandalous enough. I wonder how Kagome feels, being the black sheep of the family and all."

"I do not recommend asking her, sir."

Tony grinned as he shot off the flight stabilizers, taking down a couple more youkai that had thought to face him. At their curses, he shrugged. "You all are the ones doing this for nothing. That jewel's been gone for centuries and there ain't no way to remake it. Someone's fed you a line, and you swallowed it."

"We will not suffer a miko to live!"

"How stupid-? She can kill the lot of you with one shot, if she doesn't make you her BFF first. She's even dating a hanyou." At their odd expressions, something cleared up. "You didn't think-" He started to snigger. "You bought that Thome nonsense the press made up?"

Damn, he loved when his machinations succeeded so well.

* * *

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This is the day after Tony and Kagome's experiment with her power... and yes, Coulson's Law is the law Tony explained. I absolutely adore Phil, so I had to have him in the story some way. Any man who can threaten to tase someone and watch Supernanny while they twitch, then turn around and fanboy CA is my kinda guy.


	82. Yellow Submarine in Pepperland

Chapter Eighty-Two

_Yellow Submarine in Pepperland_

* * *

Kagome came to as Thor landed, immediately noticing the absent people. Gripping her temples, she grimaced at the pain in her head.

"Backlash headache, Kagome-sama. Here, chew this." Miroku handed her a leaf she recognized as one of Kaede's contributions and winced, but took it anyway.

"Why do Kaede's remedies always taste so awful?" she moaned, even as the headache lifted.

"I believe she used it to prevent malingerers. After all, only the truly ill would take anything as foul tasting as her medicines in order to feel better." Sango grinned as Kagome wrinkled her nose.

"If you are feeling better, my lady, we must leave this place. All the youkai are heading here, and though we have the high ground, they have the numbers."

She sighed. "Thor, how do we get away? You can't fly us all, and we don't have a helicopter-"

The giant blond grinned. "The Avengers were called-" His smile dropped as he felt the building shake.

"They don't need _in_ the building, most can climb _up_ it. I'm surprised there are no fliers here already-"

Sango answered that one, looking down the building's side without a trace of fear. Kagome's stomach sank at the thought of getting within a meter of the edge.

"They're staying camouflaged, mostly. Only a few are climbing. I guess they're doing their best to keep their existence secret."

_Secret..._ "JARVIS, does Father have a hidden exit?" She prayed for the answer to be yes, only to despair at the answer.

"He does, miss, however it has been breached by our assailants."

Inuyasha sniffed, then looked up. "We've got a flier!"

They all looked up at the large yellow blob coming down from the high clouds. "You mean there's even twinkie youkai?" Pepper asked in disbelief.

Miroku grinned. "I know this youki, ladies. Hatchi, you better not have been using my image recently!"

With a puff, the blob condensed itself into an elderly tanuki, another youkai dropping down beside him. "Miroku no danna! I never thought to see you again."

Miroku knelt, taking the sobbing youkai's hand. "I am surprised myself. To have become so powerful an elder, Hachiemon- I am proud of you."

"Kids miss out on so much... I never realized what beauty I once traveled with." The stranger who had come with Hatchi bowed to Kagome and Sango, smirking at the rumble coming from the injured dog.

Pepper frowned, heading towards Kagome. "We have no need of the Mob, Mr. Cabrini-"

"No, I'm not here on behalf of that family, my esteemable Ms. Potts." With a devilish grin, the swarthy Italian pulled off his ring. "I'm here to make good a personal debt."

Kagome stared at the red hair and green eyes, the only recognizable features of a small kit that once stayed with them.

"After all, Kagome, you and dog-breath avenged my Father, made me strong, and kept me safe until I found my place in the world. That's more than any orphan could've hoped for."

"Shippou!"

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Danna- has many meanings, but in this case, it means patron.


End file.
